Sinn Féin’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has said that the Taoiseach’s comments about Fine Gael’s migration policies are mere election soundbites.

Ó Laoghaire was responding after Simon Harris today suggested that introducing a charge for migrants in international protection and having a charter jet for deportation cases would be key general election policies for Fine Gael.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said:

“Simon Harris today made remarks regarding the migration system, and how Fine Gael would do things differently, as though they haven’t been in government.

“What he has failed to mention is that Fine Gael have held the Justice portfolio for the last 14 years. Where were these policies then?

“In reality, under Fine Gael’s watch, our migration system has got worse and worse, and the government has had a chaotic approach.

“It has been entirely within Fine Gael’s power to introduce charges for asylum seekers who are working and earning.

“I would note that the 2018 European Communities Regulation, which allows EU states to seek a weekly contribution from asylum seekers, has never been implemented in Ireland by Simon Harris’ government or any other Fine Gael government.

“There would be a good deal of preparation required for such a system to introduce a contributions system for asylum seekers, because of new technologies and protocols.

“Similar systems operate in countries such as France, Germany and Spain. But income limits vary, and wages are mainly self-declared by asylum seekers. The Taoiseach has not outlined how exactly such a system will work in Ireland.

“In relation to charter flights, there is a role for this, indeed it is a proposal that was proposed by Sinn Féin long before government.

“But the government has also failed to address this. Indeed, it is clear that the government’s approach to deportations to date has been unsuccessful. In a recent response to a Parliamentary Question, the Minister for Justice confirmed to us that ‘it would not be possible to determine the average length of time that a person with a deportation order remains in the state’. That’s not good enough.

“What we need is proper investment in our migration system.

“In government, Sinn Féin would treble staff in the International Protection Office and International Protection Appeals Tribunal to properly resource the system. This would allow for quicker processing so that those found not to be eligible for international protection here in Ireland actually leave the state.

“What our migration system needs is proper investment, not mere soundbites and electioneering. Sinn Féin has the policies to deliver change and a system that works.”