Alarm at EU 'security' stance on Afghan refugees 

An extraordinary EU council meeting on Tuesday declared the EU would work with countries neighbouring Afghanistan to prevent 'illegal migration' and to strengthen border security. File picture: Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP

The Irish Refugee Council has expressed alarm at the stance taken by EU justice ministers, including Ireland, to the Afghanistan crisis.

An extraordinary EU council meeting on Tuesday declared the EU would work with countries neighbouring Afghanistan to prevent “illegal migration” and to strengthen border security.

It said the EU was determined to act jointly “to prevent the recurrence of uncontrolled large-scale illegal migration movements” faced in the past, thought to be referring to Syria.

In a statement, the EU ministers of home affairs and justice said incentives to illegal migration “should be avoided”.

They said members states, supported by the EU border security agency, Frontex, were determined to “effectively protect the EU external borders and prevent unauthorised entries, and assist the most affected member states”.

The statement said: "The timely performance of security checks of persons being evacuated from Afghanistan remains crucial."

Responding, Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council said: 

The European Council’s statement is disappointing. The emphasis is clearly on containing refugees in the region and limiting as far as possible the European Union’s response, particularly in terms of providing protection to people in Europe and any coordinated resettlement scheme.” 

He added: “A simple word count shows two mentions of the word refugee and one mention of [voluntary] resettlement. This is compared to three mentions of borders, five mentions of illegal and seven mentions of security.” 

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Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne, who attended the meeting in Brussels, issued a statement after: "In addition to the humanitarian and migration dimensions, we are all concerned by the increased security risks posed by developments, but it was clear from the discussions today that it is necessary for member states to act in a coordinated manner to manage this growing threat. 

"Along with partners, we will pursue all efforts to ensure that the Taliban regime ceases all ties with international terrorism and that Afghanistan does not become a sanctuary for terrorist and organised crime groups.”

He said Ireland would "play its part" in providing places for Afghan nationals and their families under the Refugee Protection Programme, as well as prioritising applications for family reunification.