Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's latest letter to the Sunday Independent seeks to defend the current asylum seeker process - so why is it filled with flawed information?

In the headline paragraph, he states, “Our immigration policy is based on fair rules and we’re going to stick to them”.

He goes on to state that “people who come to Ireland and apply for International Protection are not illegal immigrants. They have the right to stay here until their application is accepted or refused, in which case a deportation order is issued.

"If they do not leave voluntarily, this is done forcibly," he wrote. "Last year, the speed at which decisions are made was increased considerably, and nearly a thousand deportation orders were issued — the highest ever”.

In Leo Varadkar's own words, “this is misinformation”. Sources within the international protection system have told me that “hardly anyone is deported if their application is rejected. Hundreds of people are ordered to leave the State but do not comply”.

The fact is, when an asylum seeker is given a deportation order, they are asked to self-deport. The Department of Justice does not even collect figures on this, they have no idea how many people self-deport.

Some IPAS accommodation centre managers have even told me they have residents still living in State provided accommodation who have been issued with deportation letters. A letter telling someone to self-deport can hardly be called forcibly removing someone, can it?

Varadkar on self-deportation orders

Leo Varadkar goes on to say in his Sunday Independent letter that “last year, the speed at which decisions are made was increased considerably, and nearly a thousand deportation orders were issued — the highest ever”.

Again, this is not entirely true - according to the Department of Justice 765 deportation orders were signed in 2023, somewhat lower than the Taoiseach claims. The highest number of deportation orders signed was in January last year (119). The lowest number of deportation orders issued last year was in December (28).

Again, all 765 of these would have been self-deportation orders; and the Government do not collate figures on how many asylum seekers self-deport. So, the Government sent out 765 letters in 2023, they did not forcibly deport almost 1,000 people as inferred by the Taoiseach.

Open borders in Ireland

Leo Varadkar continues “Ireland does not have open borders. That’s a myth. Only the border with Northern Ireland is open, and I don’t think anyone is seriously suggesting we close that”.

Again, this is somewhat untrue, yes, we know that the only open border we have is with the North. But we also know now that many people who apply for international protection here arrive via Northern Ireland.

The Government's own stats show that in 2023 almost three-quarters of asylum applications were made at the international protection office and not at our airports or ports and a source in the Department of Justice has told me that they know that most asylum seekers now arrive via Northern Ireland.

Leo Varadkar continues: “All our ports and airports have robust border controls which have been stepped up in recent months. We now have random checks at aeroplane doors, gardaí based in airports overseas, and new garda stations in Dublin Port and Airport”.

However, of those who did declare themselves as asylum seekers at Dublin Airport in 2023, 75% had either destroyed or lost their passports. These are the Department of Justice's own stats.

The Taoiseach may state that “it’s a myth” that we have open borders, and that “all our ports and airports have robust border controls” but it’s plain and simple, with the facts that are available, people do not buy that.

Varadkar on the asylum seeker process

The Taoiseach also says “International Protection applicants are photographed and fingerprinted on registration, and we check to see if they have already registered in another country. Checks are carried out against EU databases for certain crimes, watchlists and the European arrest warrant”.

This is true; however, this only tells us if a person has a criminal record in another European country or if they have applied for asylum in another European country. But does it tell us if a person has lived or worked in another European country? I don’t think it does.

Several IPAS accommodation centre managers have told me that many of their residents have lived and worked in the UK, Germany, or Sweden before arriving in Ireland. Are these people genuine asylum seekers? Surely, they are taking up beds that could be offered to people who are genuinely fleeing war and persecution?

Gaining refugee status

Finally, Leo Varadkar fails to mention in his letter that of the 26,275 International Protection applicants currently in IPAS accommodation, 23% (6,095) have been granted refugee status.

Again, sources within the international protection system have told me that they have residents who have remained in State accommodation for years, despite being granted refugee status. In fact, one source told me that IPAS do “absolutely nothing to help these people move out”.

Those who should be deported are basically asked to leave, not forced, while those who have gained refugee status and can stay to make a life for themselves here remain in State-provided accommodation. That hardly represents an “immigration policy…based on fair rules”, does it?

The Taoiseach can write as many letters to the Sunday newspapers as he wants, but it won’t change what is glaringly obvious, our international protection system is broken, and has been for some time.