Taoiseach rejects claim Ireland is trying to 'buy its way out of' taking in refugees

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that under European law and under international law, people have a right to come to Ireland to seek international protection “and they will continue to do so whether that is from Ukraine or other parts of the world”.

The Taoiseach has denied that Ireland is trying to “buy its way out of” taking in international protection applicants by giving a financial package to the European Union.

On Thursday, the Cabinet agreed to give €1.5m to the EU in place of taking in a further 350 refugees, as part of a European solidarity agreement. The move was branded as “embarrassing” by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, claiming that the State was “essentially, paying its way out of the obligation to take in asylum seekers".