A LIMERICK TD, who is behind a Private Members Motion in the Dáil this week on the EU Migration Pact, has called for greater clarity on the pact’s implications.
According to the County Limerick TD Richard O’Donoghue, the proposed pact with the EU would mandate Ireland to accept asylum seekers on a regular basis.
Deputy O’Donoghue said that it mandates an annual allocation of at least 30,000 asylum seekers across the bloc. The power to increase these figures and associated costs at any given time, he claims, lies solely with Brussels.
“The government is determined to commit to the radical EU Migration and Asylum Pact. This arguably represents the most significant transfer of Irish constitutional sovereignty from Dublin to Brussels in the history of the State,” he insists.
“The argument that opting into the new pact will somehow enable us to send more asylum seekers home is neither credible nor sincere.
“The government is trying to quietly walk Ireland into a legally binding migration and asylum pact that will have ramifications for decades to come. They have so far blocked a Dáil debate. That is why I am using my private members’ business allocation to shine a light on the government’s illogical and sneaky maneuverings.”
Deputy O’Donoghue said that Ireland is already at a tipping point as regards the number of international protection applicants. The country, he maintains, is grappling with an exacerbated housing crisis and strained public services, leading to unsustainable conditions such as migrants resorting to tents on the streets, a shortage of housing for citizens, and a lack of tourist accommodation.
“The government need to get a grip and stop ignoring our limited capacity to handle unlimited asylum arrivals,” he said.
“Ireland requires a migration system that is not only well-managed and fair, but also stringent, efficient, and effectively enforced to safeguard our borders and our communities.
“But, by opting into the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, we not only lose our national sovereignty on migration policy but also cede control of our borders.”
