A disagreement has erupted in the Oireachtas justice committee regarding the government’s contentious proposal to adopt a fresh EU agreement on immigration.
Michael McDowell, an independent senator, has taken issue with the suggestion to allocate a three-hour briefing slot on the agreement, which is set to reform Ireland’s immigration law and has attracted criticism from both left-wing and right-wing stances.
Last week, Mr McDowell sent an email to James Lawless, TD and committee chair for Fianna Fáil, expressing his deep concern over the “gravely significant constitutional implications” of the agreement. He cautioned that the pact symbolised a “relinquishment of national autonomy concerning migration and asylum seekers”.
In the Seanad, he criticised the decision to only hear from the Minister and not her officials, labelling it a “complete cover-up”.
Apple for a reaction, Mr Lawless insisted that the recent objections to the committee approach lodged in both the Dáil and Seanad seemed to him, “not only unfitting, but also hasty – how can members oppose a discussion that’s yet to take place – their complaints seem excessive – it strongly looks like political manoeuvring”.
In his email, Mr McDowell mentioned Taoiseach Simon Harris’s guarantees that the committee would meticulously dissect the pact. He added, “it’s entirely apparent that a lone three-hour session with our Committee can’t possibly offer the required level of examination.”
In Mr McDowell’s view, the proposed public scrutiny of the pact and regulations for the committee “simply won’t meet any agreed-upon standard.” According to Mr Harris, Ireland is poised to be one of the primary beneficiaries of the EU pact. He stated it would be “beneficial for the nation and Europe,” resulting in “a substantial revision in regulations and a balanced but more stringent migration system.”
The contentious pact offers quicker adjudication on asylum seekers’ applications and shared responsibility among member states for these applications, including potential relocation. If member states refuse to accept asylum seekers, they would be required to make financial contributions.
The proposition of capturing facial images and fingerprints of children as young as six, as well as confining asylum seekers in border centres close to or within airports during their screening process, is also included in the policy.
In his Irish Times column and Seanad speech last week, the ex-justice minister, who’s thoughts reflect his previous arguments, was among those requesting a discreet discussion regarding this issue, specifically focusing on the potential need for expert testimonies on the constitutional and legal outcomes of choosing to endorse this strategy.
Nevertheless, the committee’s response, articulated by Mr Lawless, was that conducting an exhaustive exploration of these concerns was their current focus. This entails a three-hour discourse involving Ms McEntee, which is expected to precipitate a comprehensive debate on the pact in the Dáil and Seanad.
When asked to elaborate, the TD for North Kildare asserted that Mr McDowell did not indicate a need for specific debate around immigration controls, highlighting that “the topic itself is not a recent development, despite the newness of the pact”.
He further stated, “Our priority is to scrutinise the pact and ensure an in-depth engagement with the minister and among members. But we’re only a segment of a broader system. From my understanding, additional debates will be held in the Dáil and Seanad. In my personal opinion, this requires careful consideration and there’s no urgency to hurriedly pass it through the houses.”