Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1578.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the recent engagement her Department has had with the EU regarding migration in Europe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32754/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department and I engage extensively with EU counterparts on migration issues across a wide range of working groups and other formats, including meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers.

A particular focus has been intensive work with our European colleagues over several years to carefully negotiate the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. The pact will significantly reform the current approach to migration and asylum both in Ireland and across the EU by providing a robust legislative framework to address the challenges faced in this area.

The overall objective of the Pact is to create a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure in ordinary times as well as in times of migratory pressure and crisis situations. It will ensure a fair sharing of responsibility, developing robust and fair management of external borders and providing stronger governance of asylum and migration policies.

In an Irish context the Pact represents a structural solution to the challenges around migration. Migration as a phenomenon is in essence a transnational issue. The reality is that no country can deal with the challenges of migration alone, and the need for cooperation and coordination with countries of origin, transit and neighbouring countries is ever growing.

Following debates in both Houses, on 26 June 2024, the Dáil approved the opt-in to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact in accordance with Article 29.4.7 of the Constitution following the earlier approval of the Seanad.

Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the EU formally informed the EU Council and Commission of Ireland’s wish to participate in the relevant provisions of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum on 27 June. These measures are expected to be implemented by approximately mid-2026.

My Department, meanwhile, continues to introduce system enhancements to the International Protection process, including through ramping up investment at every level of the international protection system. These are already yielding results but will also assist in putting the necessary capacity in place to implement the Pact.