Politics

Proposal to deport EU migrants to third countries is not same as UK Rwanda plan - Varadkar

The European People’s Party, a group including Fine Gael, has said it wants deals with non-EU countries for processing

Leo Varadkar told reporters at the European party's meeting in Romania that any proposals would respect human rights. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Leo Varadkar told reporters at the European party's meeting in Romania that any proposals would respect human rights. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Shauna Bowers
Wed Mar 06 2024 - 16:51

A proposed asylum policy by a group of European parties to deport irregular migrants to “safe” third countries is not the European equivalent of the UK’s Rwanda policy, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

The European People’s Party (EPP), an umbrella group representing centre-right political parties, including Fine Gael, has said it wants a series of deals with non-EU countries for asylum processing.

People applying for asylum in the bloc could be transferred to a safe third country and undergo the asylum process there, according to the EPP’s draft manifesto.

Speaking to reporters in advance of attending the EPP conference in Romania on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar denied suggestions that this proposal could be feeding into a far-right agenda or anti-immigrant sentiment.

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“What we’re saying very strictly is that anything that’s done – and we’ve been part of making sure this language was included in the manifesto – is that anything that’s done has to be in line with Geneva conventions and also the European Convention on Human Rights,” he said.

[ Ireland needs to ‘slow the flow’ of migration and be ‘realistic’ on supports, says Varadkar ]

[ Rishi Sunak rows back over £1,000 bet on Rwanda deportation flights ]

“So it’s not the European version of what the UK is proposing in Rwanda in my view, it’d be something very different. But you know, for example, we know Italy has made an agreement recently with Albania that people seeking asylum could be processed there. And we have an EU arrangement with Tunisia which I’m not a huge fan of, but it’s more in that space.”

Mr Varadkar said there was a need to “make a distinction” between those migrating legally, and those not abiding by the law.

“We also need to be more firm [with] people who try to come to Ireland illegally as economic migrants when we have a work permit system that can be used,” he added.

Fine Gael MEPs were also supportive of the proposal. Seán Kelly MEP said the pact will cover migration at a European level “for the first time”.

“It is very important to have controlled migration, as opposed to irregular,” he said.

“There will be some who wouldn’t be [entitled to asylum] and if they get into Europe, it’s very difficult to get them out and they are replacing people who are worse off than them or who are more entitled to it.”

Deirdre Clune MEP said people seeking asylum need to be handled in a “fair and even manner”.

“Not everybody can come to Europe for economic reasons,” she said.

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers is Health Correspondent of The Irish Times