Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)

This is the first time I have had a chance to have a discussion with the Minister of State in the Chamber. I welcome him to the House. We are being asked to consider whether to support the entrance of Ireland's negotiation to the Council decision on the readmission agreement with Kazakhstan. I recognise the important role readmission agreements play when it comes to the overall migration system. There are many questions and uncertainties because we do not have the specifics.

The Government is asking us to approve a motion which proposes we that start negotiations on the readmission agreement. However, we do not know the terms of that agreement. This sets a very bad precedent, and we need to understand the negotiating criteria before we approve the motion. We have no context, and it seems a bit strange that we are being asked to approve something in respect of which we have no oversight.Although the Minister of State talked a little about the Geneva Convention, I do not see in the briefing note the safeguards that will be put in place regarding human rights obligations during the negotiation process. It seems that this might be a routine technical measure, particularly given how low the number of Kazakhstani citizens seeking protection in Ireland is, but that does not matter because, ultimately, the decisions on shaping the kind of migration system we have in Europe and in which Ireland participates on a European scale must come from a perspective of human rights. Our support for any international agreement, particularly one that concerns migration and return, must be grounded in a clear, enforceable commitment to human rights, dignity and due process. I am sure we would all agree this is non-negotiable but we do not have evidence of the exact terms in this motion.

The Minister of State has referred to the Geneva Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. These are great references but we have seen that international law seems to have very little meaning in practice, given what is happening in Gaza. Unless it is followed up with oversight, enforceability and accountability, which we need to see in the readmission agreement, it is all just words.

As we all know, Kazakhstan’s record on human rights and civil liberties and its treatment of political dissidents have been the subject to serious international concern. As Ireland considers opting into the negotiation mandate, it needs to do so with the idea of oversight and accountability at the core.

I stress that migration is a human reality. At the heart of it are people. They are not just numbers or policy issues. They are individuals who are often fleeing instability or are in vulnerable circumstances and whose personal safety is highly at risk. They deserve our protection where appropriate and legitimate and, of course, where cases are valid.

Deportations are, as I have stated before and as the Minister of State and colleagues have said, part of an effective migration system. However, we are having this discussion at a time when the Government’s record on removals and deportations is cruel and coming under some serious and deserved scrutiny. Last week, we saw the removal of children and families who had integrated into communities and schools. In fact, a principal was quoted as saying the sudden deportation of two pupils felt like a death. Deportation notices are hanging over families who have been living in Ireland for years. This is a consequence of the fact that our migration system is completely broken. I recognise the Government is taking serious steps to fix that, but this broken system has enabled circumstances in which people who have been living here for years and started new lives here are re-victimised. They are the victims of our broken system, and there is no human rights within that. We need amnesty for families and children who have been here for years, who have set up their lives here and who have contributed positively to their communities. They should not be the victims of the system we have failed them on. The Government talked about having a rules-based approach. I believe in having a rules-based system and it is good, but we have circumstances in which the State breaks its own rules, and vulnerable people end up as collateral damage.

There are complexities within negotiations for readmission agreements. We cannot send someone back to Kazakhstan, for example, if they are facing political persecution. I know the Minister of State agrees with that and I am not saying he would not, but I am sceptical about the Government’s approach to migration given that context.

I do not welcome the idea that if we pass this motion, we will not have an opportunity to vote on the proposal again, as I believe the Minister of State said at the end of his statement. If we pass this motion, the Oireachtas as a whole will not have a chance to review it. This shows a lack of transparency. It is difficult for us, as Members, to vote on something we have not seen. That is what ultimately what it comes down to.