The Irish government is contemplating new legislation aimed at facilitating the deportation of migrants to the UK, spurred by a recent surge in asylum seeker numbers, reports
ITV News Correspondent John Ray.
Dublin has witnessed the emergence of a sprawling "tent city" near the International Protection Office, with concerns raised by the Irish government regarding the UK's policy, which they believe is driving the influx of migrants across the border.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed disinterest in any potential agreement with the Republic of Ireland, particularly if the European Union doesn't permit the UK to return asylum seekers who arrived via small boat crossings from France.
This issue has come into sharper focus following the enactment of the UK government's Rwanda legislation, designed to deter small boat crossings from France by allowing for the transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda.
While the UK government hails the deterrent impact of the Rwanda scheme, the Irish government contends that over 80% of asylum seekers now entering from Northern Ireland are a result of shifting migration patterns in recent months.
The matter was subject to discussions between the UK and Irish governments during high-level talks held in London.
In response, the Irish government is proposing new legislation to streamline the process of returning migrants to the UK, effectively overturning a previous Irish High Court ruling that deemed the UK no longer a "safe third country" due to the Rwanda plan.
However, Prime Minister Sunak reiterated to ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston that Westminster has no intention of accepting asylum seekers from Ireland, citing the EU's reluctance to accept returns to France as a significant factor.
Meanwhile, Channel crossings continued unabated, with Home Office figures revealing that over 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK this year alone, marking a record high for the first four months of any calendar year. This surpasses previous records and underscores the ongoing challenges faced in managing migration. Photo by David Kernan, Wikimedia commons.
