In the face of comments made by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris has asserted that Ireland will not become a “loophole” for migration difficulties faced by other nations. Following Sunak’s claims that the significant wave of asylum seekers moving from Northern Ireland underscores the effectiveness of UK’s contentious Rwanda policy, Harris reaffirmed Ireland’s tenacity to not let the migration practices of other countries harm its own.
Harris, speaking at the entrance of Senator Billy Fox Memorial Park close to Bawn village in Co Monaghan, emphasised the right of every nation to devise its own policies for migration. He expressed Ireland’s intention to implement a robust, regulatory system supervised squarely to ensure enforcement.
He pointed out the existence of an agreement between Ireland and the UK for returns, supported by a High Court verdict in March. A new policy for returns is to be proposed by the Irish Minister for Justice at the Tuesday Cabinet meeting, allowing the repatriation of people to the UK.
In regards to bolstered inspections, especially at the border, the Taoiseach reiterated that Ireland’s authorities effectively collaborate with the PSNI on efforts to combat human smuggling. He anticipates more coordination in the future. He also thinks that the British Home Secretary will welcome information from his colleague, the Irish Minister, assuring that the Irish government will take action against any potential migratory loopholes.
While the Taoiseach refrained from directly addressing Sunak’s remarks, he maintained that the evaluation of the success of their policies should be left to the British public. He underlined that no legislative decision outside Ireland’s borders would destabilize the ‘integrity’ of its migration approach.
There is no doubt that this is a country that recognises the advantages of migration. Nevertheless, rules are in place and they must be enforced. We are committed to offering humanitarian aid to those who are entitled to it upon their arrival here. However, if individuals come here without valid reasons, it is our intention to facilitate their return. These measures are set to be established by my associate, the Minister of Justice, this week.
Tuesday will see the Cabinet evaluating laws designed to curb the inflow of unlawful immigrants into Ireland from across the Irish Sea. The urgent bill will be proposed by Minister Helen McEntee. She informed a parliamentary committee last week that over four-fifths of new arrivals in Ireland took the land route through Northern Ireland.
Following the implementation of the UK’s Rwanda scheme last week, Mr Sunak stated on Sunday that the surge in immigrants rerouting to Ireland indicates its effectiveness as a deterrent. Updated reports from 2024 reveal that 6,739 individuals have sought asylum so far, with over 90% of them first coming into contact with Irish authorities in Dublin.
However, the intelligence sector speculates that the actual figure of illegal arrivals in Ireland ranges from 50,000 to 70,000 per year.
While marking the 50th anniversary of Senator Billy Fox’s murder in Monaghan on Sunday, Mr Harris updated on the progress of the new emergency bill. He announced Ireland’s intent to implement a new policy to repatriate migrants to the UK. This comes before a meeting between the Irish Justice Minister and her UK counterpart, Home Secretary James Cleverly, in London.
The Taoiseach’s stance on this matter received backing from Deputy Fine Gael leader and Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, who has voiced her concerns about the recent escalation in alleged rhetoric around immigration issues. She specifically criticised the UK government’s language in the run-up to Brexit as “incorrect” and “hazardous”, and highlighted the significance of keeping the Northern Ireland border open.
As you’re aware, ours is an island nation, with our sole accessible boundary bordering Northern Ireland. We were doggedly determined to preserve this boundary throughout the Brexit negotiations, and we see it as imperative. Therefore, one should be guarded in their choice of words, as they could potentially create problems. We are aware of the rhetoric from the British during Brexit, calling for reinstating borders. This sort of discourse is incorrect and perilous. We need to tread carefully in such matters.