Was it right to join the EU migration pact?
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What is the EU Migration and Asylum Pact and why is it significant?
Now, a major overhaul of the European Union's migration and asylum system takes effect today, marking the end of a two-year transition period following its approval by EU lawmakers and member states, including Ireland. The EU officials say this new migration pact will create a more coordinated and effective to handling migration across the bloc. However, the reforms have drawn criticism from different sides of the debate. Some right-wing groups argue the measures do not go far enough to curb migration, while refugee and human rights organisations contend that the new rules fail to provide adequate protections for people seeking asylum.
What changes can asylum seekers expect under the new migration pact?
Joining me on the programme to discuss this is Colm Brophy, the Minister of State for Migration. You're very welcome to the programme, Minister. So for international protection applicants coming into this country from today, what changes can they expect?
Good morning, Ciara. Well, they can expect a radically different system from midnight. The pact came into force and now people arriving into our country will be automatically going into a process whereby they will on
How does the new system aim to expedite the asylum process?
an immediate process be processed. They will have information taken from them. That includes biometric and fingerprints, etc.
What criticisms are being raised about the new migration regulations?
They will make an initial application. There is enhanced border procedures. So that will mean that we're aiming for effectively 12 weeks on that process. And we're aiming for an ability to turn around everything, including the appeal. within that process. Now, if you compare and contrast that to what existed under the previous situation where people could come into the country and they could be here years waiting for an actual decision, it is a complete and radical change to how we're going to do that. And just to answer some of the points you made in your introduction there, we have done that in conjunction with our European partners, taking account of what we believe are all the correct human rights
regulations and decisions that must be in place in this process, but also ensuring that we have a firm, fair and effective system for dealing with migration, which is what I believe the vast majority of Irish people, indeed the vast majority of people throughout Europe want to see.
So really what you're saying here, it's about a speedier process. You want to expedite the entire process, including the appeals process.
How are appeals being handled differently under the new system?
But there are concerns being voiced, Minister, by many migrant rights bodies that there's lots of speed, but there's no fairness here and that you're going to deny people a fair opportunity to explain their case in person when they challenge a negative decision against them. And it seems that it's more and more likely that people will face those negative decisions.
No, I don't believe that is the case. I think we've actually built into the process the right level of appeals process, the right level of people being able to interact with the process. We believe that we have a situation which in the past meant that the system was very bogged down, was very cumbersome.
What are the implications of the increase in asylum appeals?
I actually feel that by providing a fast and effective system to people, we are actually enhancing their rights because what we're enabling them to do is to make their case to receive a judgment on their case and to have that done in a reasonable period of time rather than leaving people in limbo and i believe that's one of the most important things It's better for people making an application that they receive a fast decision. And certainly it's better in terms of all the associated costs to the country and to the state that we have a faster system. So it's better for Ireland to have that faster decision, but it's also better for the applicant to have that faster decision. And so just to say one of the important things is that one of the big changes is that when people now arrive into the European Union,
And most people obviously arrive in countries we're familiar with in Italy, in Greece, whatever. That is where they will begin their process. And that process there is their process for the whole of Europe.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the EU Migration and Asylum Pact and why is it significant?
0:01–0:48
2
What changes can asylum seekers expect under the new migration pact?
0:48–1:20
3
How does the new system aim to expedite the asylum process?
1:20–1:29
4
What criticisms are being raised about the new migration regulations?
1:29–2:35
5
How are appeals being handled differently under the new system?
2:35–3:12
6
What are the implications of the increase in asylum appeals?
3:12–4:09
7
How does the new pact address the issue of return hubs for migrants?
4:09–5:15
8
What role does the UK play in Ireland's migration strategy?
5:15–15:13