Harris says Ireland will comply fully with Migration Pact, including setting up reception centres

TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has said Ireland will “fully” comply with the EU Migration Pact and establish reception centres (also known as arrival centres) for those who arrive in Ireland seeking asylum.

The European Parliament yesterday voted to adopt the Migration and Asylum Pact which will overhaul and reform the rules and regulations on seeking international protection in the European Union.

The package of ten laws, which had been under negotiations for years, aims to get EU countries to act together on migration.

Migration has become one of the main issues facing the union ahead of the European elections in May, with a populist kickback in many countries in response to increased numbers entering the bloc seeking asylum.

The same is true in Ireland, which has seen a significant increase in people coming here claiming international protection. There have been widespread protests against buildings being converted into asylum seeker accommodation, and a number of arson attacks carried out.

There have also been increasing numbers of asylum seekers made homeless as the State says it is unable to provide accommodation for them.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels this afternoon, Taoiseach Simon Harris said he “very much” believes that Ireland needs a firmer system in place in relation to migration.

He welcomed the passing of the Act yesterday and said it is really important that we have a European approach to migration. 

The Taoiseach said he believes the pact will be “transformational” for Ireland’s migration policy and will result in decisions being made quicker, including decisions to “return people”.

“If you don’t have a right to be here. You’ll need to leave quicker,” Harris said.

“This is a package that would provide clarity around the rules, that would make it very clear that there are rules and will also put real obligations on all member states including our own in terms of making sure decisions are made much more quickly,” Harris said.

“Irish people are very fair. Migration is a good thing. We need people to come to Ireland. We need them to do it legally,” he added.

Meanwhile, earlier today Justice Minister Helen McEntee described the new migration deal struck at EU level yesterday as “a real game changer” and said it will improve cooperation among European countries.

Speaking this morning on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Minister McEntee said the deal meant that Ireland is “not dealing with this on our own”.

“We do have a structure in place at the moment, but there’s elements of it that don’t work,” she said.

We need to have a system that’s connected. That’s collaborative and that deals with the large numbers.

 The pact has five main strand, which deal with creating rules around the identification of people who arrive from outside the EU to claim asylum, to develop a common database about new arrivals, to speed up decisions, to establish a solidarity mechanism to countries share responsibility and to ensure the EU is prepared for future crises. 

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McEntee said that a common database will give “a clearer picture of who’s there, who’s coming but also if there are risks”.

If there are people coming who pose a risk as well, and we’re talking about a small fraction, but we will have access to that greater and enhanced system.

Fine Gael MEPs voted in favour of all ten texts, Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus voted against them while Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan voted in favour of just two out of the package. Fianna Fáil MEPs also voted in favour of all ten texts.

In a statement yesterday, McManus explained Sinn Féin’s rationale for going against the pact.

“Sinn Féin are opposed to open borders. We believe that Ireland needs a well-managed migration system – one that is fair, efficient and enforced,” he said.

“Our international protection system, in particular, is in need of a major overhaul.

“The EU’s Asylum and Migration Pact is a mixed bag of seven proposals.

Alongside Denmark, we are the only country with the opportunity to remain outside all or some of these measures. We should use that ability to opt-out, as is our right.

By voting against the vast majority of this Pact we are signalling that Ireland is better off outside it. We can create a fair, efficient and enforced immigration system without interference from Brussels. 

With reporting from Muiris O’Cearbhail and Jane Matthews