The Dáil, the lower house of the Irish parliament, has supported by 79 to 72 votes the contentious EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which will introduce a unified immigration control standard among the 27 EU member states. Despite eight years of on-going discourse at the EU level, the Government reported its decision to enter this agreement three months prior, with intentions of actualising the pact within a two-year time frame.
The provisions of the pact would include stringent border control assessments involving identification methods, health evaluations and the collection of biometric data such as fingerprints of everyone over six years of age. In addition, the pact necessitates significant expansion of staff members for problem-solving applications along with the inception of novel processing and residential centres.
Migrants will be housed in facilities proximate to airports and seaports. Importantly, the Government has emphasised that these will be holding centres, not detention establishments, and all asylum requests should be processed within a maximum duration of 12 weeks. When requests are refused, asylum seekers are to be compulsorily repatriated to their native country within the aforementioned period.
While predicated on their population size, member states will be obligated to receive thousands of immigrants from “first-line” nations like Italy, Spain, and Greece or alternatively provide monetary support. The Irish Government has maintained the country cannot single-handedly tackle immigration. Helen McEntee, Minister of Justice, has appreciated the pact striking a significant equilibrium between effective asylum & return procedures and safety measures for the most defenceless seeking protection.
The agreement will expedite the process for those granted rights for international safeguarding, and similarly, for those with no such entitlements, ensuring a swift return to their homeland. However, this pact has faced criticism akin to the formation of a “fortress Europe” and has been combated by opposition parties. Sinn Féin, over several debate sessions, repeatedly urged the Government to abstain from the majority of the pact’s stipulations, arguing it binds future Irish governments. Party leader Mary Lou McDonald warned the Government’s decision not to withdraw from any element of the pact risks the rampant diminishment of Irish sovereignty.
In a discussion about tax regulations, international relations, and population movement, Ms. McDonald voiced her belief that such domains should remain under the control of the Irish administration. The issue of unchecked asylum-seeking being exploited for economic immigration was highlighted as needing a more drastic approach.
During these deliberations, the Labour party’s front runner, Ivana Bacik, asserted that a collective EU strategy is essential for managing population movements. However, she criticised the proposed agreement for not effectively promoting unity with the global south. She also dismissed the government’s uncompromising stance.
Meanwhile, leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, noted that while certain elements of the agreement were worth considering, her party held deep-rooted concerns relating to human rights. She went on to label the overall plan as potentially hazardous.