Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On Monday 29 April, I co-chaired the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference meeting in London with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris. Matters related to migration and asylum were not on the agenda of the meeting.

However en marge of the BIIGC, I had the opportunity to discuss recent reporting on the issue with the Secretary of State. I also subsequently had a constructive call with the Secretary of State on 01 May.

Both the Secretary of State and I strongly agreed on the importance of our two governments continuing to work together at political and official level on the many operational aspects that safeguard the Common Travel Area.

We also agreed on the vital importance of protecting the open border on the island of Ireland, which is essential in facilitating the cross-border aspects of lives as envisioned in the Good Friday Agreement. I confirmed that - contrary to media reporting - Gardaí will not be assigned to physically police the border north-south. We both recognised the long-standing, excellent police cooperation that exists north-south, with the PSNI and the Gardaí working together to maintain the integrity of the Common Travel Area in both directions.

In my discussions with the British government, as with other international partners, I am clear that the challenges presented by irregular migration cannot be effectively addressed by any state acting alone. We must focus our work to ensure we have fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedures, with full respect for fundamental rights. Coupled with this, we need to focus on addressing the root causes of migration - particularly when it comes to issues of conflict, and food, economic and climate insecurity globally.