Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I speak in opposition to the Government motion to opt in to the European Council decision authorising negotiations for the readmission agreement between the European Union and Kazakhstan. We fully support a fair, efficient and humane migration system. We believe that where a person is not entitled to be in the State, return mechanisms need to be robust, lawful and enforceable, but we also believe in sovereignty, transparency and accountability. Unfortunately, the motion falls short on all three counts.

First, Ireland already has the option to negotiate bilateral agreements with Kazakhstan as other countries like Germany and Poland have already done. If this is genuinely the priority of the Government, it would have pursued this route directly, retaining full control over terms, implementation and consequences. Instead, the Government is seeking to hand over control to the EU without the Irish people or, indeed, the Oireachtas having sight of what is on the table.

That brings me to the second issue of transparency, or the lack thereof. We are being asked to rubber stamp a motion that contains little to no detail about what the European Union intends to negotiate with Kazakhstan. We do not know the incentives, funding or commitments being proposed in Ireland's name. Members of the public have even less insight and that should concern us all. We are elected to scrutinise decisions that affect the lives of people living in the State and the Government is now asking us to give blanket approval to something as important and sensitive as migration policy without the necessary information, safeguards or any guarantees that Ireland's interests are protected.

Third, there is the issue of sovereignty and qualified majority voting. If Ireland opts in, we will have a vote at the European Council but we will not have a veto. Once the deal is agreed by the qualifying majority, we are bound by that, even if the final agreement is not in the interests of Ireland.

This is not just a technical motion; it is a political choice. The only justification the Government is putting forward is the desire to align with EU migration policy. That is not leadership; it is outsourcing. In an area as politically sensitive as migration, where public trust is fragile, this approach is deeply irresponsible. We in Sinn Féin support effective co-operation with EU partners, in particular on matters like information sharing, but we also support maximising Irish flexibility and control, in light of our unique position with the common travel area.

That is why we are calling for a pause. This is not a blanket rejection of co-operation with the EU, but rather a refusal to sign a blank cheque today. Ireland does not have to opt in now. We can retain the right to opt in later, once we have the full picture, know what has been negotiated and can assess whether a truly aligns with our national interests. This is a matter of principle, and we cannot build a fair and robust immigration system by sidestepping democratic oversight. We can account up till sovereignty while quietly surrendering it in practice. We cannot make good policy decisions in the dark.