Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the UK, Deputy Farrell is correct that we have an open border. The UK is no longer in the EU. We have agreements in place that mirror much of what we are discussing with regard to the pact, in particular with regard to returns. A significant number of people applying for asylum here have come through the UK. We have had a challenge in recent weeks with a High Court ruling that has prevented us from returning people to the UK. This ruling is that we have not clearly outlined whether they would be potentially at risk if they were returned. Irrespective of the fact this case is still going through the process, in a matter of weeks I will bring forward amendments to legislation to make sure we address the issues raised by the court.

We have to have a situation whereby we can return people to the UK if this is where they have come from and where they have asylum. This will not change. We have an arrangement with the UK. We probably have more of an arrangement because of our common travel area status, which is separate from the rest of the EU. What we see happening now with the UK is that it is trying to mirror much of what we are proposing in the pact, to have arrangements with the rest of the EU on returns and many of the procedures we are speaking about.

We have an issue at present with the High Court case. This will be resolved with legislation. We regularly meet through a common travel area forum. It meets on a quarterly basis. We also have significant engagement between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána to look at irregular crossings and where people have arrived from the UK seeking international protection.

With regard to knowing whether people have left, what is very clear, and it is not just in Ireland but throughout the EU, is that the quicker we can process an application, the more likely it is that someone will leave. This is done through communication with the Department or the international protection office or through a voluntary returns system. There is a focus on forced deportation which is misplaced. To deport somebody forcibly takes much longer. It takes a lot more money and it is more challenging than if we work with people. There is a much greater emphasis-----