There’s been a threefold increase in deportation orders issued so far this year compared to the same period last year.

This comes as part of a deliberate hardening of policy towards immigration by the Government.

In the first three months of the year, there was also a dramatic decline in the number of people seeking asylum in Ireland.

On Newstalk Breakfast, presenter Shane Coleman said there are “still issues with our asylum-seeking process”, but that this is a step in the right direction.

“Look, I think immigration has been a huge positive for Ireland, I don’t understand the arguments really against it,” he said.

“I also think we have a legal obligation and a moral obligation to do our best, to put our shoulder to the wheel in terms of asylum seekers.

“We have a duty to deal with it, to process them, and when they are deservedly seeking asylum, to offer them asylum – I have no difficulty with any of that.”

People stand by rows of tents, near the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin on April 30, 2024. (Photo by PAUL FAITH / AFP) (Photo by PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images)

Fellow presenter Jonathan Healy, standing in for Ciara Kelly, questioned whether this was just of celebration of the fact that “we’re finally doing what we’ve supposed to be doing all along”.

“It seems a little bit triumphalist the way they’re going on about ramping up the number of flights and, ‘We’re doing this and we’re doing that’,” Jonathan said.

However, according to Shane, it is clear these methods have been working.

“I think word gets around and countries that are seen as soft touches... well, of course, word of mouth is huge,” he said.

“I actually think if a country puts down a marker and says, ‘If you deserve to come here, we’ll process you, if you don’t, you’ll be sent home’, I think that gets around pretty quickly.”

Judicial reviews

Jonathan said that while refusals have gone up, applicants can still stay in the country by seeking a judicial review of their case.

“Okay, the number of refusals has gone up quite a lot to 80% refusals now,” he said.

“But if you get refused, don’t worry about it, you can go down to this place called the Four Courts and you can put in a judicial review.

“That’ll keep you safe for a couple of years before they have to do anything.”

Shane cited the 40% drop in the number of asylum seekers seen in the first three months of the year as a sign that “the message is getting through”.

Main image: Shane Coleman in the Newstalk studio (L) and an airplane (R).