Results 161-180 of 11,546 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: The objective is to achieve that timeline. We have a percentage that we have to reach within that time. We will obviously endeavour to go beyond that figure overall. We will try to deal with anybody who is applying through the border procedure or where the border procedure applies to him or her within that timeframe. There is a way in which our interviews take place. The people who do...

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: I apologise but I am finding it difficult to hear.

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 not. They will have the same ability to appeal as any others. It is about the timeframe. There would be designated accommodation for those in the border procedure. They would be separate. This is not about locking people up. Rather, we are talking about having a designated area for accommodation where people would stay. It would not be a detention type setting. There may be...

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 will not be in detention centres. They will be in accommodation and free to come and go. We will not put barbed wire, fences or security around them. There will be a designated centre to make sure that we can apply this in the quickest way possible. That is what this procedure is about. If somebody comes without documentation, with false documentation or is highlighted as a security...

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...