Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Along with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, I will start by addressing the terrible arson attack that took place in Drogheda over the weekend. Our thoughts are with the families impacted by this. It was an attack on an IPAS centre but it was actually an attack on their home. It is truly awful to see something like that happen to someone's home. My thoughts are also with the victim of the alleged sexual assault in Saggart recently. I also want to commend An Garda Síochána members who so bravely defended the peace in Citywest when faced with such abhorrent behaviour. We put our trust in the justice process to deliver due process over the coming months.

As we start this debate, we have seen the discourse on migration that has become increasingly fraught across the world. Here in Ireland we are not immune to the impact of this polarised debate. The incidents in Drogheda and Citywest show the extent to which this is impacting communities. We have seen anti-immigrant protests on our streets. We have seen attacks on international protection accommodation. We have seen attacks on international protection accommodation where people knew that women and children were staying. We have seen the dire consequences of the anti-migrant rhetoric in and the shocking racist attacks on our minority communities. The Government is determined to combat such racist crime and protect vulnerable communities.

The vast majority of Irish people are, I believe, positive towards migration because we know the value of migration to Ireland. Migration benefits our economy, our public services, our infrastructure and has made Ireland a pluralist and more open society. The Government is operating under a clear and co-ordinated strategy to manage immigration in what I want to see, as does the Minister, as a firm, fair and effective way, in a rules-based system. The programme for Government provides a commitment to developing a new migration and integration strategy for Ireland detailing how we intend to meet the demands and the opportunities facing our society and economy over the next decade. This strategy is being led by my Department with support from across Government and we plan to publish it in 2026. It is important to point out that this is the first time such a strategy has been undertaken and we are determined that our approach to migration is rules based, planned and coherent.

The Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, has gone through in some detail the significant reforms ongoing in the international protection process. This is being done through ongoing legislative reforms, investment in our processing capacity, and particularly with our enhanced co-operation with our EU partners. We are addressing our international obligations and the legitimate concerns of communities across the country.

The programme for Government also contains strong commitments on consultation with communities about local services and integration, and to improved communications on migration and integration. Yes we do accept that we need to improve this. There have been failings in the past and we need to see more improvement in this area. The community engagement team in my Department has a role to share information, to engage, to listen and to help communities prepare for new arrivals. They are doing an excellent job. It is important in these engagements to balance our discussions between recognising the need for urgent shelter for people who are in very vulnerable situations and who are legally entitled to it, and to also recognise the needs and sincerely-held concerns of communities.

By necessity, the work of the community engagement team has to date focused on the opening of new accommodation centres. Some of these engagements have been a simple sharing of relevant information through the relevant channels while in some centres it has involved far more detailed meetings with local community groups, local officials, local public representatives, national representatives and other key stakeholders. This work has involved the provision of briefing notes, the organisation of information sessions and responding to queries from both community organisations and public representatives. It has also involved strategic engagement with key Departments and agencies, local government and civil society organisations. It is vitally important that this work continues and that the community engagement team continues to strengthen engagement at local community level.

Our overall strategic approach is intended to reduce the scale of the demand for accommodation. We want to see the proportion of accommodation provided on State-owned sites increase, with the objective of developing an accommodation system with a reduced reliance on commercial provision. I believe, as does the Minister, that it is particularly important that we move to that process of, by and large, having State-owned facilities so we can provide the best value for money and services: services to the people in those centres and services to the communities that surround them and the best value for money for Irish taxpayers.

I also want to introduce a contribution model for people in international protection accommodation. In this regard, a proposal was considered by the Cabinet subcommittee on migration this week, which came from the Minister and me. The programme for Government included a commitment to introduce such a system. It is expected that the proposals will now be developed and timelines for implementation will be finalised and brought to Government in the coming weeks. While I appreciate that this has been a proposal that was there previously, the Minister and I have worked tirelessly on this over the past weeks to ensure we can bring this proposal to Government in the next few weeks. Not all applicants in centres are working but many are. I believe it makes sense that people who are working and paying income tax would make a contribution towards the cost of their accommodation. It is only fair. The system I want is a system based on fairness. If a person is working in a factory, in a shop or in a tech company, and they are working alongside somebody who is paying for their rent at the end of the month, then there is no reason that person, if he or she has an income, should not be making a contribution to their own accommodation.

I want to move on now to the area of removals. Part of an effective immigration system needs to be an effective returns system. We are working at national level and with EU partners on this. The proposal for a new returns regulation, as presented at European Union level, would establish a common European system for returns with the aim of a swifter, simpler and more effective returns procedure across the EU, while fully respecting fundamental rights. This proposed new legal framework is a complementary measure to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. It is the Government’s preference that Ireland is part of the new returns measure. Officials in my Department are continuing to engage with European colleagues to determine the most appropriate means for Ireland’s participation. Any decision to participate would be made following the approval of the Oireachtas. My Department firmly believes that it is in the mutual interest of all member states and Schengen-associated countries to ensure as broad a level of participation as possible to reduce fragmentation to ensure coherence and support operational effectiveness across the Union.

As Ireland continues to show its active engagement and involvement in the European Union, I believe that a lack of participation in this proposal could potentially undermine the efforts to bring about effective harmonisation and coherence in the returns domain. Participation in the returns measure would ensure that Ireland can benefit from enhanced co-operation and information sharing with other member states. I must emphasise that my Department is not waiting for the European Union to return people who should not be in the State. As the Minister has indicated, returns this year are the highest they have been for 20 years. We have had six charter removal flights so far this year, coupled with a large increase in those being removed on commercial flights. Just this week, 52 people were removed on a charter back to Georgia. There has also been a large increase in EU citizens removed under the free movement regulations. These orders can be made on the grounds that an individual’s personal conduct represents a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society. The number of removal orders under the freedom of movement directive has increased from 24 in 2024 to 99 so far this year. On Monday, 13 October removal orders were enforced against 23 Romanian citizens who were removed from Ireland by charter flight. A very high bar must be met for a person to be removed under this directive but it is a priority for the Minister and me to ensure that those who meet the threshold are removed from the State accordingly.

Our immigration system is not just about faster processing and a more effective system. We are concerned that when people are granted permission to remain in Ireland, we are ensuring that these people are integrated into Irish society. If one is going to have an effective removal system, one also needs to have an effective system for integration when someone is allowed to remain. My Department administers a series of funds to support anti-racism and integration initiatives around the country. I will be announcing the outcome of a funding call for the integration funding next week. My officials are currently finalising the outcomes of that process.

The Ireland against racism fund, which is a key part of the national action plan against racism, enables non-government and community organisations to provide projects and local initiatives that combat racism. The EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, AMIF, aims to support international protection applicants, programme refugees, beneficiaries of temporary protection and other third country nationals in Ireland. Ireland's total budget allocation for the AMIF 2021-2027 national programme is €63.5 million.

The integration and employment of migrants grant scheme is part of the European Social Fund Plus. The total funding under the scheme is €5.5 million, made available over a seven-year period. In 2022, seven projects were approved for total funding of €2.7 million for a three-year period. I announced a second call for funding under this programme in July this year.

Ireland has shown its commitment to a common EU-wide solution to migration by opting in to most elements of the EU migration and asylum pact. The pact is a landmark in our collective effort to manage migration with fairness, compassion, effectiveness and order. It recognises the need for solidarity and shared responsibility across all member states. It emphasises border protection while upholding international law. Crucially, it allows us to distinguish between those in genuine need of protection and those who do not qualify, thereby enabling swifter and more just outcomes. It is really important to recognise that it does not just benefit the country in question; it benefits people going through the process when decisions can be made for them in a fast and effective way. Our commitment to the pact, alongside other member states, shows we stand together in recognising that no country should be left to face these pressures alone. Whether by welcoming refugees, supporting returns or contributing to border management, every state has a role to play and Ireland is no different. The pact also promotes deeper co-operation with countries of origin and transit. We must work upstream by addressing the drivers of migration, tackling trafficking networks and supporting development. We need global solutions for what are global issues.

Much of the public focus on the pact has been on those aspects related to reception conditions and assessment procedures for people arriving seeking international protection. However, an important aspect of a well-managed and effective migration and asylum policy is having the successful integration and inclusion policy about which I have been talking. That is why we are committed to continuing to provide practical ways to support local communities involved in integration efforts right across Ireland.

Along with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, I consider it very important, particularly in light of what the country has faced in the past week, that we, as an Oireachtas, can have a balanced conversation that respects all the key requirements of the debate. There must be an understanding that there are very vulnerable people who apply for international protection - they are here in our country and we need to understand, look after and respect the process they are going through - and there are also communities that have very genuine concerns. People in those communities must be engaged with and have an opportunity to have their voice heard. They need to see real leadership in this area from us, as public representatives, as Members of this House and as the Government. People who are able and willing to stand up and comment must be allowed to speak and to have their voice heard but we must not pander to the extremes. We must never allow the extremes to win. We must respect what everyone is saying, listen to it fully and work together. For the sake of our country and its long-term future, which will be as a fully integrated modern Ireland with lots of different types of people in it, we must be able to have these discussions and deliver real results out of them.

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