Results 361-380 of 11,742 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: We have already signed up to certain measures whereby we have to adhere to conditions and certain measures. We will have to reach a percentage within those timelines. We will then address the remaining figure within the timeframe. If it is the case that a significant number of people come to this country and we are not able to complete the process within the timeframe, we can then apply...
- 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 recent - it was in the past three years - but it has increased.
- 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 some instances, yes, but a lot of people have transited through the EU before they get to the UK. Under this new procedure, before they even reach the UK they will be screened and then come up on a system. The UK would not necessarily be the first designated country. It could be another European country. A lot of people start in another EU country and go to the UK and we might see...
- 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 do not have those figures to hand, but it is the case that those numbers have increased significantly in recent months. I will have to get the figures.
- 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 agree with the Deputy's initial point. It was made clear under the Lisbon treaty that security issues and migration are a European competence, but we fought to ensure we had the opt-in so nothing would be forced upon us. What we are now talking about is no different from any of the other measures we have already opted in to. It is an upgrading of many of the options we are already a part of.
- 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 are choosing to opt in.
- 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 the number originally identified by the Commission.
- 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 the minimum number, so it definitely can increase. It would have to increase with the approval of all member states. Again, it is only the reallocation. It is not reflective of the overall figure, but the only way this will work is if we also look at the preventative side. The pact is to respond to those who are already coming to Europe and seeking protection, but we need to make...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)
Helen McEntee: No, we are not.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)
Helen McEntee: Denmark does not have an option to opt in. When it agreed to join, in a similar way that we negotiated the opt-in, Denmark decided not to apply asylum rules and regulations. It is part of Schengen, though, so it is not opting out of any of the Schengen measures.
- 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 has a separate parallel process, but that is not we looked for or agreed to, and it is not what people signed up to when they voted for the Lisbon treaty. They signed up to us deciding whether we wanted to opt in. We are not the same as Denmark and I do not think we can be compared to Denmark.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)
Helen McEntee: Denmark's system is different from ours. It is a system where people are detained. They are not allowed leave. You can look at what the reception conditions are like compared to ours.
- 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 operates differently.
- 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 has different agreements with different member states in terms of returns or take-backs, but it is a fact that Denmark detains people in the same way that they would be detained in prison. Those are the rules it applies. That is the decision it took.
- 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 not the decision we have taken and not the route we have chosen, and I do not think the majority of people would like us to go down that route. That is Denmark's decision and I am not commenting on it - good, bad or indifferent. However, that is a very different system. Denmark is part of Schengen, so it applies all of the different Schengen rules. We cannot do that because we 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: It is not about the overall numbers; this is just about the relocation.
- 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 Senator is quoting migration numbers, not asylum numbers.
- 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 not people applying for asylum.
- 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, that is a migration figure. It is not people applying for asylum so we have not done a figure based on that because it does not apply in any way, shape or form. The 2.16%, which is calculated via GDP and population, only applies to the reallocation or solidarity mechanism. What is clearly set out is that 30,000 is the figure that can increase. It will not increase to 5 million...
- 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 are not asking anyone to do that. The Senator is taking a figure for overall-----