Ireland has unveiled plans to repatriate migrants who are entering the country from Northern Ireland back to the UK.
Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris has instructed his Minister for Justice to propose a change in the law, compelling asylum seekers arriving in the Republic to return to Britain, as reported by Irish news site RTÉ.ie.
The decision comes in response to remarks made by Rishi Sunak, who emphasized that migrants entering Ireland indicated the effectiveness of his Flagship Rwanda plan as a deterrent.
While Harris did not directly address Sunak's comments, a spokesperson for the Taoiseach emphasized the importance of safeguarding Ireland's migration system's integrity.
Harris has urged the Cabinet to review proposals next week to amend existing laws regarding the designation of safe 'third countries' and enable the return of inadmissible International Protection applicants to the UK.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is scheduled to discuss the returns policy with members of Rishi Sunak's government during her visit to London on Monday.
The Irish government alleges that 80% of all asylum seekers in their country have crossed from Northern Ireland, attributing this trend to the absence of border documentation requirements under the UK's current travel arrangement.
Ms. McEntee revealed that over eight in ten asylum seekers in the Republic of Ireland have crossed into the country from Northern Ireland, leading to challenges such as migrants sleeping in tents amidst a housing crisis.
Irish premier Micheal Martin suggested that the UK's asylum policy is prompting migrants to flee across the border from Northern Ireland into the Republic.
In an interview with Sky News, Rishi Sunak defended his flagship scheme, highlighting its deterrence effect on potential illegal migrants.
Sunak stressed the importance of securing borders and suggested that the Rwanda scheme's deterrent impact is already evident, as fewer people are inclined to enter the UK illegally. Photo by Jonathan Serex, Wikimedia commons.
