Ireland to press on with building centres to process asylum applications, says Taoiseach

Simon Harris also defended his decision to retain Justice Minister Helen McEntee in her portfolio. File photo: Brian Lawless/PA

Ireland will press on with plans to build reception centres to process asylum applications within 12 weeks, the Taoiseach says.

The EU Migration Pact, agreed on Wednesday, allows the Government to process asylum applications in that timeframe. Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said that the plan would be pursued.

Mr Harris said Ireland "will comply in full" with the Migration Pact but that the vote of the European Parliament "was an important moment in time". He said the pact would provide for faster processing times of asylum seekers. 

Last month, the government announced it would opt into the pact and would introduce accelerated processing — including for those from safe countries, those with no or false documents, and those who have crossed borders illegally — as well as a new border procedure to more quickly process people who are particularly unlikely to be granted international protection. 

It would also mean new dedicated accommodation for those being processed in the border procedure or who are due to be returned to another country.

Mr Harris said the building of centres for those in the border procedure is an important step.

"We took a decision a couple of weeks ago as a government that we wish to opt in. We wanted to indicate that at an early stage, firstly because we think it's important to indicate it, but secondly, because it provides our system with the opportunity to get on with the work that needs to be done. 

"I spoke with the Minister for Justice as recently as this week, because there's a big body of work to be ready to implement the pact. It will involve faster processing times, it will involve faster return processes, and it will also involve providing more facilities. So we have a piece of work to do, a very significant piece of work, as do all member states around implementation, but we are committed to implementing it."

Helen McEntee

Mr Harris also defended his decision to retain Justice Minister Helen McEntee in her portfolio. He has pledged to convene a taskforce aimed at improving the centre of Dublin following months of scrutiny on the capital's safety following November's riots. However, the Taoiseach rejected the idea that Ms McEntee had "presided" over the riots.

"She didn't preside over that, thugs presided over that and there should be no distraction from the fact that the people from the riots in Dublin are the thugs who set garda vehicles on fire, buses on fire and brought horrific scenes in Dublin and many of them are going through the criminal justice process and we'll let that run its course.

"Minister McEntee and I have a shared view in relation to law and order. We have a shared view in relation to a number of important issues that need to be taken. We need to see the minimum tariffs legislation brought in so the judges have powers to impose minimum tariffs that must be met before parole. 

"In the case of certain heinous crimes, in terms of knife crime, in terms of antisocial behaviour, in terms of getting body cams on gardaí, I'm very satisfied that Minister McEntee and I share this agenda."