Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to address and talk about migration. We have seen the discourse on migration has become increasingly fraught right across the world, not just in Ireland, but here in Ireland we have not been immune to the impact of this polarising debate. We have seen anti-immigrant protests on our streets, stirred up by social media. We have seen the dark consequences of the anti-immigrant rhetoric in the shocking racist attacks on our minority communities. In particular, I want to express my deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of the recent attacks on Indian nationals here. These acts of violence and intimidation are utterly unacceptable and stand in direct opposition to the values we hold as a nation, which are respect, inclusion and dignity.

I was happy to have an opportunity to engage with representatives of the Indian community in the wake of these attacks. The community has made, and continues to make, a vital contribution to Irish society in our health services, our universities, our businesses and right across our culture. They are our colleagues, our neighbours and our friends. Let me be clear: there is no place for racism or xenophobia in Ireland. The Government is working closely with An Garda Síochána to ensure those responsible are brought to justice, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect every member of our diverse and vibrant society.

We stand with the Indian community. We value them and we are committed to ensuring their safety and inclusion in Irish life. The Government is determined to combat racist crime and protect all vulnerable communities. Attacks on migrant communities, whether those attacks are physical, verbal or particularly online, are utterly unacceptable. Everyone has the right to live safely, free from intimidation and abuse, regardless of their background. The vast majority of Irish people are positive towards migration because we know as a country the value of migration to Ireland. Migration benefits our economy, our public services and our infrastructure. It has made Ireland a pluralist and open society.

Approximately 20% of our neighbours, friends and coworkers were born outside the island of Ireland. In 2023, more than 23% of all nurses and midwives directly employed by the HSE were migrants and 15% of those were from India. That year, nearly four in ten doctors registered to the Irish Medical Council were trained outside Ireland. Our construction industry heavily relies on our current ongoing migration. In 2023, there were 27,500 migrant workers in the construction industry, an increase of 84% since 2021, amounting to 12,600 workers.These are the people who are helping to build our homes, Garda stations, prisons, schools and hospitals, which we need. They are doing the things we need the construction industry to do and it is vitally important that we have the skilled workers to help to do that.

Across all sectors, be it technology, agriculture, hospitality and business, migrants help our country to grow, succeed and provide quality public services. My Department is currently working on a national migration and integration strategy that will set out how this Government intends to meet the opportunities and demands facing our society and economy over the next decade, and this will be published next year. This is the first time such a strategy has been undertaken and I am determined that our approach to migration is rules-based, planned and coherent.

While we understand the immense value of migration to us as a small nation, we cannot ignore the challenges it presents. The parallel events of increased international protection applicants following Covid and the horrendous war in Ukraine, which has displaced millions of Ukrainians across Europe, has placed pressure on accommodation capacity over the past three years, which has been felt right across our country. Among the wider changes in migration patterns into Ireland, those particular events have contributed to a public discourse and attitudes that have had a real impact on local communities throughout Ireland.

This phase in migration is new. We understand the Irish public are experiencing that change and genuinely have legitimate concerns. They want to be reassured that the immigration system in this country is managed correctly and its rules enforced. Ensuring that we have a firm, fair and effective immigration system that is rules-based is a key focus for me and the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan.

Most people coming into Ireland are here to work, study or join their families. To do this, they have gone through our immigration system and have shown they met the criteria. They have followed the rules. I have said since I became Minister that I want an immigration system that is firm, fair and effective, and the reality is that a system has to have a removals process for people who have been refused permission to remain. It is important to ensure that the public has confidence in the application of our law in this area. Put simply, if people are in this country who have not followed the rules and do not have permission to be here, they must leave. If they do not leave voluntarily, they will be deported. We are talking about a relatively small number of people, but we must hold firm on this particular principle. Every system has rules and everyone has to play by those rules. That is as it should be.

This principle will also apply when it comes to the international protection system in general. We need to make sure that it is there for people who need it, that is, people fleeing war and persecution. To do that, we have focused on scaling up the decision-making process and ensuring faster decisions, which is central to a functioning immigration system. It allows those who need our protection the ability to get on with their lives rather than waiting in limbo. It also means that those who are not entitled to be here leave the country sooner. Last, it sends a clear message that applying for international protection is not a backdoor into our country.

This strategy is working. From the beginning of this Government, applications for asylum have reduced by 40%. I also recognise that asylum is a transnational issue and Ireland cannot deal with it alone. With our fellow member states, Ireland will implement the EU migration and asylum pact next year. This major piece of reform to asylum systems across Europe means that we are collectively strengthening our systems and protecting our borders.

People currently going through the application process and living in IPAS accommodation represent just 3% to 4% of non-Irish citizens who are living in the State, and it is important to remember that fact. I know, and fully recognise, that accommodation for those in the international protection system is an area that has caused concern to communities. The focus of the Government is on developing more State-owned accommodation from a range of sources, building a very sustainable system and reducing our reliance on commercial providers.

For those in the system, I and my officials are developing a contribution model to ask people in accommodation who are going through the system to make a payment. People who have applied for international protection can currently apply for permission to work after five months and, if granted, they can work after six months. While not all applicants are working, many are and it makes sense for people earning an income and paying taxes to also make a contribution to their accommodation costs.I will be bringing forward proposals for this contribution model in the coming months.

I also acknowledge my Department's community engagement team, which was established in late 2023 to engage directly with elected representatives, local authorities, NGOs, community forums, local services, An Garda Síochána and others in advance of the opening of accommodation centres. The purpose of the team is to communicate and inform through sharing accurate and timely information on new and existing accommodation centres based in the community. This is a much-needed development, on which I acknowledge we have not done as well as we should have in the past.

Conscious that I am reaching the end of my time, I will finish by emphasising how important migration is to the development of our country. I believe there have been efforts to cause division in our society and it is important to reaffirm that Ireland continues to welcome people who want to come to our country to work and to contribute positively to society. We not only want them here but need them here. It is against this background that it is more important than ever the public have confidence in how our migration system operates. I have put in place a series of measures along with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to ensure we have a firm, fair and effective immigration system, one that is robust, enforced and ensures our borders are protected. This will remain a key priority for me as the Minister of State with special responsibility for migration. I thank the House.