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

I agree with the Deputy's initial point. As a country, we have been and will continue to be extremely welcoming. All of us in this House should reject some of the commentary by and actions of certain individuals who want to send a different message. We need to ensure that we have a system that functions, that people get answers as quickly as possible and that those who do not have a right to be here are removed from the State or, in most instances and most effectively, are assisted to leave or to go back home. Many people are economic migrants do not want deportation orders. They do not want to have a mark on their ability to be able to study or work in or travel to other countries. We need to make sure our system works efficiently and effectively. By introducing a list of safe countries, we have introduced a system that enables us to tell people very quickly that they either have permission or they do not. From engaging with other countries, we have seen that the quicker people get a negative decision, the more likely they are to leave of their own accord. The safe country list is something I have no doubt we will revisit. The Deputy is right that there is not an overarching safe country list for Europe. It is up to each individual member state. As we develop the migration pact further, that is something which will be looked at and discussed, and there might be uniformity to how we apply it.

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