Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ireland needs to be able to adapt its approach to match our particular circumstances and any further challenges that may arise in future. Shackling ourselves by agreeing to an all-or-nothing approach is not in our interests and we will be voting no on the Government’s proposal.

Most people recognise that people genuinely fleeing injustice and seeking asylum should be given protection and supports. We are in a time when conflict, persecution and climate change are displacing people across the world. Global inequality is a significant factor in all of this, which is something we must remember. These people, who are genuinely fleeing such scenarios, must be treated humanely and with respect and compassion. To do this effectively, we need a system that is humane and efficient and whose rules are enforced. That system also needs to be tailored to suit the individual circumstances of host states, such as the common travel area we share with a non-EU state. For these reasons, it should be for an Irish Government to determine when we need to change our procedures, not to surrender those decisions to the EU.

Sinn Féin favours two beneficial options: the asylum migration management regulation to assist in returning those who seek to make an asylum application here to the first county where they made a claim; and Eurodac to ensure more information on who enters the State, assist us with vetting and checks, tackle trafficking and assist in returning asylum seekers, where appropriate. However, we oppose giving the EU the ability to tie the hands of future Governments to adapt to our unique challenges. Indeed, the EU does not have an unblemished record in how it treats people fleeing persecution. The asylum pact will not address the thousands dying in the Mediterranean.

Measures can be taken nationally to deal with immigration, to enhance our asylum system to facilitate quick decisions, and to avert backlogs and the continued pressure on communities to give up hotels and other premises that they should be able to retain. The problem is that this Government has not done so and is now seeking to shove its responsibilities onto the EU. The average processing time of 18.8 months and the failure to enforce a rules-based system effectively is a case in point. As a result, a backlog builds up and the private sector is relied on for accommodation.

Consequently, communities end up finding their hotels or nursing homes taken out of public use. Communication with these communities is dreadful. The Department remains silent until work is under way or is about to begin. Any real detail is virtually impossible to get and communities are left frustrated. Generally, that is it. Job done, with little if any community engagement and no detail on the provision of additional services or whether an audit of services has been done. The Department needs to be honest and upfront with communities. Unfortunately, many people with genuine circumstances and concerns feel isolated by the Department. The Department does not engage or seek to address their concerns. The very least we can expect is for the Department to be on the ground well in advance with a designated liaison person who is always available locally.

Sinn Féin believes in the emergency provision of State-run basic reception centres that can meet IP applicants’ fundamental need for safety, shelter, nutrition and healthcare. This is key to getting hotels and nursing homes returned to communities and back to their intended use. In parallel, we would commence the development of longer-term State-owned reception centres. Then there is the issue of consistency in the Government’s approach to integration. Borrisokane is an example of successful integration. The only fault is the Department reneging on a prior agreement and issuing eviction notices. Again, this is due in large part to the lack of preparation or vision from the Department. This must be rethought. Our housing and health crises were evident before we saw immigration in the current numbers. That is not the fault of people seeking refuge but of Government inaction.

Of course, there are some who seek to manipulate all these failings for their own divisive purposes and who try to misrepresent communities. The Government has a responsibility to tackle misinformation by providing information, being upfront with communities and providing for them. This will take the oxygen away from those who seek to promote discrimination.

We need a system that is fair, efficient and enforced. We need sovereignty over our decision making, not commands from the EU. Nothing replaces a proper, effective and enforced policy that processes applications quickly, enforces decisions, treats people humanely and assures people and communities that their interests are being taken into account.

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