Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath, is calling for a debate on immigration policy but remains opposed to the Government’s potential endorsement of the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
The Government is to decide at today’s cabinet meeting to opt in or out of the Pact and Deputy McGrath does not want Ireland bound by an agreement.
The TD says issues such as housing and public services need to be examined prior to opting into the new EU plan.
At present Ireland, alongside Denmark, retains the legal right to opt-out of EU immigration policies – a right affirmed by the Irish people in the Lisbon referendum.
Deputy McGrath says the Government lacks trust given the performance in the recent referendums.
The Tipperary TD is calling for a referendum on immigration to ensure the voices of the Irish people are heard.
The new EU Migration and Asylum Pact includes a “solidarity” Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR), whereby a minimum of 30,000 asylum seekers will be relocated across the EU per year from countries under “migration pressure”.
Each Member State will be responsible for accepting a quota of relocated asylum seekers based on population size and GDP or pay financial contributions of €20,000 per asylum seeker applicant per annum.
