LAST UPDATE | 10 Nov

SINN FÉIN HAVE hit out at Fine Gael’s new migration policies, outlined earlier today, as “election soundbites”, and accused the party of having a “chaotic approach” to migration.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said today that the “next step” to take in dealing with immigration is a means-tested contribution model for people in international protection – as he argues it “makes sense” to have access to a chartered plane to deal with deportations. 

In response to Harris’ comments, Sinn Féin’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said that they were simply “election soundbites”, and pointed out that Fine Gael have held the Justice portfolio for 14 years.

“Where were these policies then?” he said. “In reality, under Fine Gael’s watch, our migration system has got worse and worse, and the government has had a chaotic approach. It has been entirely within Fine Gael’s power to introduce charges for asylum seekers who are working and earning.”

Minister Peter Burke, who has become embroiled in controversy after Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary made several comments disparaging teachers at his campaign event  last night, came out in support of his party leader’s stance.

Speaking to reporters on the campaign trail in Cork today, the Taoiseach said that although Ireland benefits from immigration, “there also has to be common sense”.

He told reporters that he believed the next step was a contribution model for people in international protection who are earning money, as they have a right to in Ireland after six months. It would be a means-testing contribution, he added. 

“It doesn’t pass the common sense test with the Irish people, that at the moment, you could be here earning money and not paying a contribution. So it is about that fairness, and I think that’s important for social cohesion,” he said. 

When asked about plans to change the deportation system, Harris said that there has been a “significant” increase this year in the number of deportations carried out, both voluntary and involuntary. 

He outlined that as Ireland’s policy on migration strengthens through its connection with Europe, “it’s likely we’ll see a very significant increase in the number of returns to other countries, and it makes sense now to have an availability to call on a chartered plane.”

Harris said that many people are leaving the country on a deportation order on commercial flights, but it is “sensible” that the infrastructure is put in place that should the government need use of a chartered plane to carry out deportations, that would be available. 

He specified: “This is about returning people to the country of origin or to or to a country where they may already have sought asylum.

“It’s not in any way comparable with policies that the UK have had in place in relation to Rwanda, policies that I in the past have described as despicable and stupid.”

At a European Council summit in October, Harris said Ireland would be in favour of implementing the Migration and Asylum Pact more quickly and claimed that most people in Ireland want to see the issue of migration dealt with – but quickly differentiated Ireland’s position from the UK’s Rwanda policy. 

The Rwanda policy was introduced under then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and involved the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, a country in East Africa.

The policy was slammed by groups across the world, including Harris, who said in October that “it didn’t really work. It didn’t really result in anything happening”.

In a statement released this afternoon, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said: “Ireland values migration. We see the benefits of it every single day. As Minister for Enterprise, I can see the huge role migration plays in our economy. We see it across the health service, in retail and hospitality and in our construction sector,” he said.

He said that the party had been working on a payment model to ensure that people living in IPAS accommodation “make a contribution towards their services”.

“If you have an income you should make a contribution. This will range from €15 a week to €268 a week,” he said.

“This won’t apply to people who cannot work, or are unable to work. We believe this is an appropriate measure to help us create a fair but firmer migration system,” he said.

He added that Fine Gael will outline further measures on migration over the coming weeks, including returning migration policy to the Department of Justice.

Backlash

Speaking in Dublin, Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said it was “particularly shameful” that a government party would be proposing such legislation.

She said: “I think it is the politics of division. I’ll be honest with you, I was very disappointed to read that.

“I think it’s it’s smacks of populist pandering to an anti-immigrant feeling. I’m very disappointed to see it coming from a government party,” she added.

People Before Profit similarly hit out at Fine Gael for both the comments made surrounding teachers at Burke’s event last night, and Harris’ comments on deportation and asylum seekers.

People Before Profit general election candidate and teacher Joe Daly accused Fine Gael of engaging in “damage limitation” after its “mask slipped” at Burke’s campaign event.

“Within hours Simon Harris made a demand that International Protection asylum seekers should pay for services and called for the government to charter planes to facilitate deportations. The cynicism is staggering. Fine Gael have insulted every teacher in the country so they have sought a distraction by punching asylum seekers,” he said.

Includes reporting by Muiris Ó Cearbhaill