FG welcomes planned crackdown on illegal immigrants

Fine Gael has welcomed apparent plans by the Government to launch a tough crackdown on illegal immigration.

Reports this morning say the Taoiseach and Minister for Justice are currently finalising new legislation that would force all non-EU citizens to carry bio-metric ID cards containing details of the residency permits.

The legislation will also reportedly replace the Refugee Appeals Tribunal with a new full-time body and give the Gardaí greater powers to summarily deport people who enter Ireland illegally

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe said today that his party welcomed the move, particularly the abolition of the Appeals Tribunal, which he described as "a lucrative cash cow for friends of the Government".

Mr O'Keefe also said he had no problem with the ID-cards plan, but expressed concern about its potential cost to the taxpayer.

However, he said there was little point in introducing the crackdown when the Government was unable to say how many illegal immigrants were currently in the country despite the fact that they should have been considered for deportation after serving prison sentences.