Amnesty International has said the EU's new Migration and Asylum pact will lead to a "surge in suffering" for asylum seekers.

Overnight, Justice Minister Helen McEntee welcomed the deal as an 'historic step' to fairly and firmly address the issue of migration across Europe. 

However, Fiona Crowley, Research and Legal Manager for Amnesty International Ireland, believes it is a missed opportunity for the EU and Ireland.

“It’s shameful that the EU’s institutions are signing an agreement knowing perfectly well that it will lead to greater human suffering for people fleeing conflict, persecution and economic [in]security,” she said. 

“It’s also, unfortunately, a missed opportunity to build a fair migration and asylum system that places people’s human rights at the centre. 

“They could have got this right.” 

Flags of the European Union and its member states fly in the wind in front of the building of the European Parliament in Strasbourg in September 2019. Picture by: Philipp von Ditfurth/DPA/PA Images

Ireland could have opted out of the pact and Ms Crowley said she was disappointed the Government chose not to do so. 

“People will get even less protection and face even greater risk of serious human rights violations across Europe - including illegal and violent pushbacks at borders and arbitrary detention,” she said. 

“People have the right to seek asylum no matter where they come from and no matter how they arrive and the EU is utterly failing to show global leadership on refugee protection.” 

'It will reduce the numbers'

Last month, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the agreement contains “nothing that does not benefit Ireland”.

“The likely effect is that it will reduce the numbers [of migrants coming to Ireland] but that’s… just part of why I think we should join,” she said. 

“This, as a whole, is a major effort by the EU to manage what is a really difficult situation at the moment. 

“So, it’s to manage the numbers of people that are coming to Europe; to make sure we are aligned in our policies, the way in which we are processing and the way in which we’re supporting people. 

“But also, the way in which we’re asking people to leave when they don’t have a right to be here.”

Sinn Féin has said the agreement is “not in Ireland’s interests” and independent TD Verona Murphy has called for the Government to put the issue to a referendum.

Main image: Main image shows asylum seekers queueing outside the Refugee Application Centre on Mount Street in Dublin, 30-01-2023. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews