Ireland unveils emergency legislation to return asylum seekers to the UK amid concerns over migration policies, sparking debate with British authorities. Here’s the full story.
Worst of Times
It has never been very easy to be an asylum seeker, torn away from a previous life, loved ones and the country you called home to seek safety from war, disaster or persecution. Still, it might be safe to say that now is one of the worst times to be an asylum seeker attempting to enter the UK.
Turning Genocidal
With the rhetoric around asylum seekers turning genocidal after Reform UK’s deputy leader Ben Habib called for migrants who attempted to cross the English Channel to be allowed to drown should their boats sink, the government’s illegal Rwanda scheme to send asylum seekers to an unsafe country and the far right recently marching through the streets of the capital, emboldened by the governments arguably racist policies, Britain has never looked less safe or secure a destination to seek shelter in.
Unforeseen Problems
Despite Rishi Sunak’s claims that his much-vaunted Rwanda plan would reduce the number of asylum seekers attempting to come to the UK, the hostile environment created by the government’s policies seems to have created another unforeseen problem.
Emergency Legislation
The surge of people entering Ireland through Northern Ireland has led the Irish government to take steps to address the issue through emergency legislation.
Inadmissible Applicants
The Taoiseach, Simon Harris, has directed Justice Minister Helen McEntee to propose measures to allow the return of inadmissible international protection applicants to the UK.
“Rules-Based System”
An Irish government spokesperson clarified, “Ireland has a rules-based system that must always be applied firmly and fairly. This is one of a number of measures we are taking to strengthen our system and ensure that it is strong, effective and agile.”
Rules and Integrity
They continued, “Rules and the integrity of our migration system will be to the fore of our actions.”
Deterring Asylum Seekers
Sunak had claimed that the Rwanda scheme was beginning to do its job of deterring asylum seekers from entering the UK, which had inadvertently led to an influx of arrivals in Ireland.
Back to Blighty
However, it seemed that Sunak’s celebration was premature, as Minister McEntee announced plans to introduce emergency legislation that would allow the Irish government to quickly send asylum seekers back to the UK.
“Fast Processing”
McEntee told RTÉ, “That’s why I’m introducing fast processing, that’s why I’ll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK.”
“Safe Third Country”
Ireland’s designation of the UK as a “safe third country” for asylum seekers to be sent back to has faced legal scrutiny recently following a ruling by the Irish High Court that deemed it incompatible with EU law.
Growing Issues
This has led the Irish government to seek to amend its legislation to comply with legal standards while addressing the country’s growing migration issues.
Anti-Immigrant Sentiment
Like the UK, Ireland has seen a dramatic increase in anti-immigrant sentiment recently, with protests surrounding refugee accommodation and immigration policies becoming all the more common.
Housing Crisis
Due to a severe lack of housing stock, rents are rising rapidly in the country, along with a similarly catastrophic rise in the number of homeless people.
Ukrainian Refugees
These concerns are being turned into anti-immigrant sentiment, especially considering Ireland has taken in over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees since the start of the Ukraine war.
Massive Riot
There are fears among many in the country that the far right, which has previously lacked a foothold in Irish politics, could stoke the anger over the housing crisis into bigoted or racist violence, like that seen last November when a massive riot destroyed parts of Dublin.
Live Deaths
As Ireland grapples with the challenges of managing asylum seekers and irregular migration, there is a genuine danger that the country could go down a similar road to the UK, where politicians can suggest, live on air, that letting migrants drown might be preferable to helping them.
Ethical and Effective
It remains to be seen whether Ireland has a similar future ahead of it or whether the country can develop ethical and effective immigration policies.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Claire Whitehead.
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