McDowell says Ireland must protect its territory

The Minister for Justice has said that Ireland cannot be a place for those who are pretending to be refugees.

In an article in one of today's Sunday papers, Michael McDowell maintains that Irish people must be able to distinguish between genuine refugees and economic migrants who might be trying to skip the queue.

The Minister also warns that the issue can not be lost in a sea of political correctness and rhetoric of compassion. Mr McDowell argues that it is a fundamental right of any state to control access to its territory.