Irish government plans to send asylum seekers back to UK under new laws

Ireland has sought to return asylum seekers to the United Kingdom in a bid to stem arrivals through Northern Ireland, reported the British and Irish mediaon Sunday (Apr 28), amid concerns that Britain’s Rwanda plan would lead to more asylum seekers from the UK.

About the Irish government’s plan

The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris has asked the country’s justice minister, Helen McEntee, to introduce legislation to the cabinet which would allow Dublin to return inadmissible international protection applicants to the UK.

The move comes amid concerns that UK PM Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan would lead more asylum seekers to enter Ireland through the land border with Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson for Harris said that he wanted to protect the integrity of Ireland’s system and in line with this, the Irish PM had asked the justice minister to bring proposals regarding the designation of safe third countries and allowing the return of inadmissible international protection applicants to the UK.

Earlier this week, McEntee revealed that 80 per cent of recent arrivals to Ireland came from the UK across the Irish border.

“There are many reasons why we have seen an increase in migration toward Ireland,” said the Irish justice minister speaking on Irish broadcaster RTÉ’s Six One News.

She added, “That’s why I’m introducing fast processing…I’ll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK.”

McEntee also said she wouldmeet with British Home Secretary James Cleverly and other officials during a visit to London, on Monday (Apr 29), to raise these issues.

UK’s Rwanda policy

Ireland’s Tánaiste (deputy PM) Micheál Martin noted how the UK’s Rwanda policy was already impacting Ireland, saying that people were “fearful” of staying in the UK and were crossing the border to the Republic so they would not be sent to the East African country.

Notably, the deputy PM, who also serves as the country’s foreign minister, has previously criticised the UK’s Rwanda policy which became law, on Thursday (Apr 25).

In an interview with Sky News, on Sunday, Sunak defended the controversial Rwanda legislation and noted that it is working as people were worried about coming to the UK.

“The deterrent is - according to your comment - already having an impact, because people are worried about coming here and that demonstrates exactly what I’m saying: if people come to our country illegally, but know that they won’t be able to stay, they’re much less likely to come,” said Sunak.

He also noted how illegal migration is a “global challenge” and that “multiple countries talk about doing third-country partnerships, looking at novel ways to solve this problem, and I believe will follow where the UK has led.”

Violent clashes in Ireland

Last week, violent clashes erupted during a protest in County Wicklow, Ireland, against proposed refugee accommodation which had led to a broader fear over far-right agitation and threats against politicians.

In a speech, later on Sunday, Harris is expected to say that warning signs around the abuse of public figures should be taken seriously “before the unthinkable happens,” according to the Guardian.

(With inputs from agencies)