Migrants heading to Ireland show the deterrent effect of Rwanda’s plan at work

Rishi Sunak said there is a claim that the Rwandan plan is driving the influx of migrants into Ireland which shows that its deterrent effect is working.

“The barrier is already having an impact because people are worried about coming here,” the Prime Minister said.

The Irish Government is to consider legislative proposals next week regarding the return of asylum seekers who have traveled from the UK.

It comes as Ireland’s deputy prime minister Michael Martin said the UK’s asylum policy is driving migrants who fear deportation to Rwanda across the border from Northern Ireland into the Republic.

Mr Sunak said others now recognize that “meaningful deterrence” is key to curbing illegal migration and celebrated that “even the best parties in the EU are following our lead”, after conservatives the EU to support a policy to force people who claim asylum in the EU to settle down. outside the union.

UK ministers are planning to send asylum seekers arriving in the UK on a one-way flight to the east African nation, with the aim of discouraging others from crossing the English Channel on small boats.

The legislation that ensures the plan is legally binding, the Rwanda Security (Asylum and Immigration) Act, passed through Parliament this week and was signed into law on Thursday.

In an interview with Sky News Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, which will be broadcast in full on Sunday, the Prime Minister was challenged on whether the UK is exporting the problem.

Mr Sunak said: “My focus is on securing the UK and our borders.

“But what that comment shows is a couple of things.

“For one, illegal migration is a global challenge, and that’s why you see that multiple countries are talking about making third country partnerships, looking at new ways to solve this problem, and I believe that where the UK is leading will continue.

“But what it also shows, I think, is that the barrier, according to your views, is already having an impact because people are worried about coming here and that shows exactly what I’m saying.

“If people come to our country illegally, but they know they won’t be able to stay, they are less likely to come, which is why the Rwanda scheme is so important.”

Downing Street claimed on Friday that the Rwandan plan had already affected movements into Ireland, saying it was too early to draw conclusions about its impact.

Mr Martin, who also serves as Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, told reporters in Dublin on Friday: “Clearly there has been an increase in the number of people coming into the Republic in Northern Ireland. And it’s quite clear that Rwanda policy, if you’re someone in a particular situation in the UK and so on, you don’t want to go to Rwanda – not that anyone’s gone yet, I don’t mind saying.

“So I think that’s a fair opinion of mine. There are a lot of other issues – there’s no attempt to blame anything or anything like that.”

But a spokesperson from No. 10 to journalists in Westminster: “It is too early to reach specific conclusions about the impact of the Act and the treaty in terms of migrant behaviour.

“Of course, we will monitor this closely and we already work closely as you would expect with the Irish government, including on asylum matters.”

In the Mail on Sunday, the Prime Minister wrote: “I said when I first became Prime Minister that others would recognize that a meaningful barrier was the only way to stop the boats and now even the best parties in the EU are following our lead.”

It comes after centre-right European People’s Party Ursula von der Leyen’s manifesto for June’s EU elections proposed a UK-style asylum plan under which “anyone applying for asylum in the EU can be moved to a third safe country and go through the asylum measures. asylum process then”.

Mr Sunak admitted this week that it could still take 10 to 12 weeks to get flights to Rwanda in the air, a blow to his earlier goal of seeing this happen in the spring of this year.

A spokesman for Ireland’s chief executive Simon Harris said he is “very clear about the importance of protecting the integrity” of Ireland’s migration system.

“Ireland has a rules-based system that must be applied firmly and fairly at all times.

“In that context, the Taoiseach asked the Minister for Justice to make recommendations to the Cabinet next week to amend the current law regarding the designation of safe ‘third countries’ and to allow foreign applicants -acceptable on international protection to return to the UK.

“This is one of several measures we are taking to strengthen our system and ensure it is robust, efficient and agile. The rules and integrity of our migration system will be at the forefront of our actions.”

Irish ministers suggested earlier this week that there was an increase in the number of migrants crossing the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee told an Irish Parliament committee that “higher than 80%” were now crossing from Northern Ireland.

She said she would be legislating to respond to a High Court decision regarding returning people to the UK and that she would meet Home Secretary James Cleverly next week.

“What is clear in the UK’s decision to opt for Brexit is that the number of people seeking asylum in their own country has increased. The way they deal with that, it’s their policy,” she told RTE on Saturday.

“My focus as Minister of Justice is to ensure that we have an effective immigration structure and system.

“That’s why I’m introducing fast processing. That’s why I will have emergency legislation at the Cabinet this week to ensure we can effectively bring people back to the UK.”