Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government has displayed incredible incompetence in recent days in dealing with migration and returns to Britain. The Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, claimed at the justice committee that 80% of those applying for asylum in this State are coming from Britain via the North. At the weekend, the Tánaiste then carelessly jumped in two feet first, pointing to Britain's Rwanda deal and claiming it had led to an increase in the numbers of people crossing the Border, despite him not having any evidence to that effect. His error of judgment was a gift to the Tory Party, which is desperate for a row with Europe, Ireland and anyone else on the issue of migration.

The Tánaiste went on to tell a press conference in London yesterday that the claim of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, about asylum seekers crossing the Border is not based on statistics, evidence or data. The Minister for Justice says one thing. The Tánaiste contradicts her and says another with both it seems making claims without any supporting data. The incompetence is off the charts. At a time when we need calm and an assured response, we get panic. At a time when we need competence and clear communication, we get contradiction. This has been a feature confirming the widespread view that the Government is not on top of issues relating to migration and that nobody competent is in charge. Scrambling around to turn hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation and office blocks into direct provision centres or having tents line the length of Mount Street in Dublin are not the hallmarks of a well-managed system.

Ireland is a welcoming, compassionate country and there is no room for racism here. We know that there are those who seek to exploit this serious issue to sow division and hatred, and that is why clarity is so important. The truth is that the Government has, from the beginning, made a complete mess of the handling of this situation. We need an immigration system that is fair, efficient and enforced, and a system with common sense that safeguards social cohesion and protects human rights. Both can be done effectively in parallel. However, the Government's chaotic approach, as evidenced, is evidence that nobody is in charge and that it does not really have a plan to get to grips with the situation.

Tá cur chuige an Rialtais maidir le hinimirce trína chéile. Tá daoine ag mothú nach bhfuil aon duine i gceannas maidir leis an neamhábaltacht idir an tAire Dlí agus Cirt, an Teachta McEntee, agus an Tánaiste.

The Government says it has an agreement with Britain but the British Government says it does not. Which is it? If the Government does have such an agreement, has the Irish State made use of the agreement and if not, why not? People want a system that is decent and fair. They also expect the rules to be enforced. It seems from recent revelations that this has not been a priority for the Minister, Deputy McEntee, or for the Government. We now have a situation of confusion in Government and of contradiction and chaos between the Minister for Justice and the Tánaiste. Which of them, if either, is speaking correctly? Not satisfied with that, the Government has managed to spread confusion between two governments about an agreement that exists or does not exist. Which is it? Will the Taoiseach please bring clarity to that question?

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