Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said "it doesn't make sense" for Ireland to reject EU policy and look after immigration controls alone. 

The Dáil debated the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which the Government says Ireland will opt into. 

The new pact includes new policies on border procedures, faster processing for asylum seekers, and more emphasis on the EU’s partnership with countries where asylum seekers typically come from such as Egypt and Morocco. 

The pact, however, has been met with strong criticism from the opposition, with some suggesting Ireland should implement its own asylum policies. 

Ms McEntee said other countries who implemented their own policies have failed. 

“Other countries who have gone it alone have tried and failed,” she in the Dáil. 

“The pact updates on existing common European asylum [policy] of which we already participate. 

“For those who say we will go it alone and make our own rules, we’re already signed into so many different asylum measures at a European level. 

“This is simply updating them and improving them, so why would we not continue to improve our systems and align with the EU?” 

Opposition to migration pact

Rural Independent TDs introduced a motion to the Dáil today calling on the Government to not accept the pact until there is an “open, fair, transparent national debate”.  

The motion also calls on the Government to consider a referendum asking for people’s opinion on the pact. 

Ms McEntee said the number of asylum seekers would increase if the EU migration pact is rejected. 

Asylum seekers from the UK

The Justice Minister also once again noted that 80% of asylum seekers were arriving to the Republic of Ireland via Northern Ireland, although this figure was disputed by Tánaiste Micheál Martin earlier this week. 

Speaking to Newstalk earlier today, Ms McEntee said relations with the UK remain strong despite the British Prime Minister saying they won’t accept refugees that are returned. 

“We cannot have a loophole where we can practically return people,” she said. 

“Despite comes that have been made, this arrangement is already in place. 

“We have been working with the UK and I look forward to continuing working with the UK o making sure that we prevent any type of abuses of the Common Travel Area.” 

Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae told Newstalk earlier today there is a “lack of joined-up thinking” in Government when it comes to migration. 

He said Ireland has taken “more than its fair share” of asylum seekers and a national debate on the EU migration pact is essential.