Varadkar: ‘No guarantee’ numbers seeking asylum will fall despite crackdown 

Leo Varadkar said the State will be 'firm' with those who come here illegally. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

There is no guarantee that the number of asylum seekers arriving here will decrease despite a Government crackdown, the Taoiseach has said.

It comes as the Cabinet this week signed off on adding two more countries to the list of “safe countries” and is now considering chartering flights to facilitate deportations.

Leo Varadkar has said the State will be “firm” with those who come here illegally but also stressed the need for immigration to fill the many jobs in the Irish economy.

Asked if the latest measures will reduce the numbers of people seeking refuge here this year, Mr Varadkar said: “We can’t say that there’ll be a decrease.

“There are many numbers of factors that drive people to come to Ireland seeking international protection, most of which are outside of our control.

“Bear in mind, 40%, almost half of people, get status. These are genuine people who deserve our protection and should get it — there are record numbers of them too.”

He said more people are now on the move across the world than at any time since the Second World War, driven by war, famine, oppression, poverty, and climate change.

“I can’t guarantee you that we’re going to have peace in the world and that climate change is going end — I wish I could,” he said.

Mr Varadkar said the current immigration policy is “fair and welcoming” to those who come here legally but is “firm with those who come here illegally”.

Algeria and Botswana were this week added to the Government’s list of safe countries.

Safe countries of origin are countries where it can be shown there is generally and consistently no persecution, no torture or degrading treatment or punishment, and no threat by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has committed to the applications of those arriving from safe countries being processed within 90 days. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has committed to the applications of those arriving in Ireland from safe countries being processed within 90 days, with a decision on whether they can stay or not being made within that time.

Mr Varadkar said: “We are cracking down on people who come to the country illegally and try and abuse the generosity of our system.

“A lot of the things that are being done aren’t particularly new, it’s just that the context has changed.

“So we would have had maybe only 2,000 or 3,000 people coming here seeking international protection every year — that’s increased pretty much tenfold and that requires a response from Government,” Mr Varadkar said.