Results 3,761-3,780 of 15,298 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: Other countries do not have an option. The only country that differs from us is Denmark. When we negotiated the Lisbon treaty, we negotiated that we would have an opt-in. Denmark is not the same. It is in the Schengen area and is not choosing to opt out of any of the measures, but it never opted into any of the asylum procedures. Denmark has a separate and parallel process which it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: We have spent eight years working through and considering them. It is not a case that this was agreed a few months ago and then we looked at them and asked whether we would join them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I was a Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs a few years ago and this was debated for that entire period. I saw it go through the different stages and processes. The fact that we helped to develop this does not stop with the end of a Government. It does not change the fact that all the proposals benefit Ireland and that we engaged because they will be positive for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: On the timelines, no. As the Deputy can see I am investing in the system to make sure we have quicker turnaround times. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is actively engaged in resettlement. We have the Afghan refugee programme, the Syrian programme and we have had programmes prior to those. That will not change.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: In particular, I reference fingerprinting, which will now apply to children from the age of six and up. The main reason that has been applied is that in some instances smugglers and people who are trafficking or organisations use people to cross borders or apply for asylum. The idea is that by fingerprinting children from the age of six years, we would have a better picture of who they are....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: In the case of an unaccompanied minor arriving in Ireland, where he or she has come through another country and something is flagged through the screening process, it is not the case that they would be put in a detention centre or anything of the sort. The intention is that we would work with State agencies to make sure that unaccompanied minors in particular would be treated as vulnerable...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I will seek clarity on that. It has to be worked through. If we opt in, then it will form part of the legislation. We will be working with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: When we talk about vulnerable people, that includes children. That is why unaccompanied minors are exempt from some of the systems as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: We need to work through that with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: They can still apply for asylum. If somebody misleads the authorities, for example, because they have false documents, they will go into the border procedure if they come through the border. It is an accelerated procedure, so they can still claim asylum and make their case, but they will just be processed in a much quicker way. It is often said to me that if someone has a false document,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is very clear. If somebody presents with false documents or does not have documents, it is a criminal offence. Senator Ruane is right that people have been imprisoned in recent months because of that. There are different time periods, but on release from prison a person can still then apply for asylum. It does not prevent them from applying, but it is a criminal offence to not have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: First, I point to my response to Deputy Ó Ríordáin: nobody's right to asylum is being removed. We are one of 190-odd countries that have signed up to the Geneva Convention and that means if a person seeks protection, we have an obligation and duty to give them the opportunity to state their case. That will not change. It is important, however, that we have a system that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The accelerated procedure also has an appeals system and to date, approximately 80% of those appeals have been upheld. It is important that the system works for those who need it. If we have people who are economic migrants, as has been the case for a number of people in recent years, there are legal routes and pathways. Parallel to the pact, work is happening whereby we, as a European...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: In what way?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: This is about the movement of children who are non-EU citizens.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: They absolutely can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The difference is that we are talking about citizens who do not have a right to free movement across borders. We have an interconnected police system and the Garda works closely with police organisations across Europe and with Europol and Interpol. When it comes to trafficking, we have significant operations and mechanisms by which we work with each other.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: That is absolutely not the case. I do not think I am suggesting that.