Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We believe the Government is taking the wrong approach on this migration compact. We believe Ireland is in a unique position. It has a unique opportunity. Ourselves and Denmark are the only countries that have the flexibility to opt out. We have that flexibility going back to recognition of the fact that Ireland is in a common travel area with Britain. There are a number of reasons the Government is wrong to sign up to every element of the migration compact and, for that reason, we will vote against the Government amendment and against its proposition on the formal migration pact.

The point about the common travel area has been particularly relevant in the past few days. It demonstrates very clearly that we are in a unique position and we need to have flexibility to respond to situations in Britain, given our very particular circumstances. It was extraordinary last week when the Minister, Deputy McEntee confirmed to the justice committee that she did not even consider whether it was wise to select measures that might be beneficial to Ireland and to choose to avoid measures that might not be in Ireland’s interests. It is our view that there are decisions that are better taken at national level. We recognise circumstances where there are benefits from international co-operation and where it is in Ireland’s interest and where it would be impossible to achieve things without international organisation but in opting into the whole pact, the vast majority of which Sinn Féin disagrees with, it greatly ties the hands of future Irish governments and cedes power to the EU.

A great deal has been said about communication and resources. All that needs to be recognised. We believe in a system that is efficient, enforced, fair and decent. That is where a great deal of the Irish people are. It must be efficient and enforced because if we do not have rules or the rules are not applied, the system will collapse. Not only that but resources that need to be prioritised for those who need it most are used for those who are not applying based on true need to seek protection from oppression and conflict. It needs to be fair and decent because we must remember that we are talking about human beings here. Whether they are successful in their application or whether they are to be returned safely home, as they should be, they need to be treated with dignity and human respect. That needs to be at the heart of every decision we make. In the past few days, the Taoiseach has spent a lot of time talking about the fact that Ireland must have control of its own migration policy.

I do not understand how he can square that with opting into absolutely every element of this proposal given the extent to which it reduces our flexibility and given the potential grounds it creates for further divergence from Britain and the complications that can create for us in our very particular circumstances.

The past few days have been absolutely shambolic. At a time when we need calm, we have had absolute panic. The needless escalation of this by the Tánaiste was extremely unwise and has made this a much more challenging issue. I do not downplay for one minute that it was always a serious issue and it is still a serious issue. However, it was escalated to the point of an international row which showed a serious lack of wisdom. Two senior Ministers, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice have contradicted each other. The Minister of State has tried to reconcile this and he is shaking his head. I do not know how the Government is standing over this line in suggesting there is no contradiction. They are putting out press releases contradicting each other. It is absolutely absurd.

The British Government claims it has no legal obligations and there was no agreement; it is saying there is an administrative arrangement. The Irish Government says it has an agreement and Britain should be held to it. What is it? What does it look like? What are the terms of it? We need to know that because with the common travel area whether it is a hard border, soft border or middling border, there must be a policy for returns from Ireland to Britain. We need to know what the terms of that are and whether it can be enforced after the passing of the legislation.

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