New EU deal may see Ireland pay money to other countries rather than take extra migrants

The deal will see countries which receive large numbers of irregular migrants ask fellow EU states for money, help in processing asylum claims, or to take in migrants themselves

For Ireland, 'it wouldn’t really be a case of taking a quota of refugees', said Leo Varadkar. Picture: PA Wire

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has suggested Ireland will pay money to other EU countries to help them cope with asylum seekers instead of volunteering to shelter more people here, under a new deal.

Mr Varadkar was speaking in Spain on Thursday following a new deal on how migration operates in the European Union.

The deal by European leaders will see countries which receive large numbers of irregular migrants ask their fellow EU member states either for money, help in processing asylum claims, or to take in some migrants themselves.

The main aim of the deal is to share the burden of migration across the entire EU with frontline states.

Mr Varadkar said: “I think from Ireland’s point of view, it wouldn’t really be a case of taking a quota of refugees.

We’ve accepted a huge number of people in the last year or two, maybe 100,000 people from Ukraine and other parts of the world, so we’re in a different place as a country now, really struggling to accommodate the numbers that we have.

“You can have the option of accepting refugees who are in other parts of the European Union... or you can make a financial contribution.

“I don’t think we’re really in a position to accept more voluntary transfers, not until we get on top of the accommodation situation," he said.

“That’s not to say that we’ll turn away people that come to Ireland, of course; we won’t do that. But volunteering to take more people is a different thing entirely,” the Taoiseach added.

Mr Varadkar was speaking to reporters on arrival to a summit of European leaders in Granada to hold discussions on support for Ukraine, migration, and potentially adding new members states to the EU.

Cabinet agreed earlier in the summer to pay €1.5m to the EU because it couldn’t provide accommodation to an extra 350 asylum seekers under its commitments as part of an EU Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and UK prime minister Rishi Sunak hold a bilateral meeting during the European Political Community summit in Granada, Spain. Picture: Manu Fernandez/PA Wire

The State had previously agreed to accept an additional 350 international protection (IP) applicants as part of a solidarity agreement at EU level to relocate asylum seekers among member states. Mr Varadkar again backed Ukraine to join the EU and said he hopes negotiations will begin by the end of this year. 

“Enlargement is always good for Europe. It helps to provide us with security, helps to embed democracy and human rights, and also helps the European economy to grow in the round,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar is holding a bilateral meeting with British prime minister Rishi Sunak this evening. A number of things were on the agenda including how the UK Government’s negotiations with the DUP were progressing in respect of restoring the institutions in Northern Ireland. He said he would again raise the Irish Government’s opposition to the UK’s Legacy Bill.

“We believe it is potentially a contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights and certainly I’ll be saying that to the prime minister," he said.

The Taoiseach also said he will speak to Mr Sunak about Euro 2028, for which the United Kingdom and Ireland are expected to be joint hosts.