THE GOVERNMENT will examine whether it should take in a small number of refugees from the turmoil in Libya to help ease pressure on Malta, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said.
As Italy questioned whether it should leave the EU if other countries refused to help it deal with a flood of migrants from Tunisia, Mr Shatter expressed reservation about the manner in which Rome has been dealing with the issue.
On the fringes of his first EU meeting since taking office last month, he also backed proposals to compel airlines routinely to provide intra-EU air passenger data to a new surveillance system.
Such measures were important for the battle against terrorism and drug traffickers, he said.
“I would take the view that the general public at home would welcome the fact that we will provide in the future the same level of security as the US seeks to provide in its flights.”
The EU authorities are pressing other member states to help Malta deal with 1,000 Libyans who have arrived there since the uprising began against Muammar Gadafy.
“They’re political refugees from Libya,” Mr Shatter said.
“In the context of Malta, the issue is: are there a small number of people that we can accommodate in solidarity with Malta bearing in mind that other European countries are willing to do so?”
He declined to say how many people the Government might take in but noted that Germany, whose population is 20 times greater than Ireland’s, has pledged to take 100 individuals and said an offer from a small country would be proportionate to the German offer.
Under pressure due to the arrival of thousands of Tunisians to the island of Lampedusa, Italy wants other EU governments to trigger a temporary protection directive to relocate migrants from an emergency situation. They argue this is not necessary.
Rome has also proposed issuing six-month visas to as many as 25,000 Tunisian migrants to enter the Schengen visa-free area.
“Italy has been left alone,” its interior minister Roberto Maroni said. “I wonder if it makes sense to continue to be part of the European Union in this situation.”
Mr Shatter questioned the way the plan to provide temporary visas to the Tunisians was introduced.
“I think it’s unfortunate that the action was announced in circumstances in which other member states didn’t have an opportunity to engage in a discussion about the announced action,” he said.