By Greg O’Loughlin
Speaking as the EU Migration and Asylum Pact operational date approaches next week, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Matt Carthy TD, said the decision to lock Ireland into the pact was a major mistake by Government, has undermined Irish Sovereignty and will have serious long-term consequences.
Deputy Carthy said that even now significant questions remain unanswered in relation to the operation of the pact given Ireland is part of a common travel area with a state outside of the European Union.
Deputy Carthy criticised other parties for failing to be vocal enough in opposing the decision to sign up to the pact or in standing up for Irish Sovereignty during the passage of the International Protection Bill (which implements the pact) through the Oireachtas.
Teachta Carthy said, “Sinn Féin has been absolutely clear in our opposition to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. As the operational date of the pact approaches next week real concerns remain about the implications of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s decision to ‘opt-in’ and tie the hands of this and future governments to determine our own migration policies.
“From the very beginning Sinn Féin made it clear that it was not in Ireland’s interests to sign up wholescale to the EU’s Asylum and Migration Pact. We have stated categorically we should retain sovereignty over these matters. We have voted against this pact at every opportunity.
“It was a serious mistake for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to opt-in to the pact. It was the wrong decision to hand-over powers on migration to the European Union. It will not fix the problems those parties have presided over in the international protection system. On this and other areas, the Irish Government should be defending the right of the Irish people to make these decisions, not handing more and more powers to Brussels.
“Sinn Féin is clear that it is the people of this country who are best placed to make decisions on migration based on our unique challenges and circumstances including the border and the Common Travel Area with Britain. Ireland’s position is unique and has its own very particular challenges – we are in the EU, not in the Schengen Area and are part of a common travel area with a state that is outside of the European Union. Questions around how the pact will interact with the Common Travel Area remain unanswered.
“Of course, the best way to manage migration is to do so on an all-Ireland basis. It is another reason why we must advance Irish unity.
“From the outset the Government parties have ignored the concerns for Irish sovereignty and the implications of handing power on migration to the European Union. The consequences of this will, without doubt, become clear in the years ahead.
“Throughout the passage of the International Protection Bill 2026, which gives effect to the decisions to sign up to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, Sinn Féin made clear our opposition to the decision to sign up to the pact.
“It was Sinn Féin alone that used every stage of the International Protection Bill to restate the fallacy of opting into the pact and in asserting the need for decisions affecting migration into Ireland to be made at an Irish level, rather than EU level.
“As Chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration I secured cross party agreement for the inclusion of a demand in the Pre Legislative Scrutiny report on the bill for the Government to reconsider opting into the entirety of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. Unfortunately, the Minister for Justice and the Government ignored this recommendation.
“Throughout the passage of the International Protection Bill, which is the legal underpinning of the pact, Sinn Féin opposed the bill and the pact. We tabled multiple amendments to protect Irish sovereignty which were rejected by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and independent TDs. Unfortunately, others opposition parties, including Aontú and Independent Ireland, were largely absent from the Dáil debates on this legislation, they did not meaningfully engage at any stage of the process, they didn’t submit a single amendment to protect Irish sovereignty or to fix the asylum system.
“The International Protection system is dysfunctional. Decisions take too long, appeals are taking too long, deportation orders are not enforced. Government Ministers have admitted that in many cases they do not know whether a person subject to such an order has left or not. There is massive profiteering from the provision of inappropriate IPAS accommodation. All of these could have been sorted by a competent Irish Government without handing over powers in this area to the EU.
“There is rightfully huge public concern as the operational date for the EU pact approaches. People are calling for Ireland to now opt-out. Sinn Féin will support any mechanism that seeks reverse the decision to lock us into the Migration and Asylum pact, albeit this will be challenging as ultimately Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have signed us up to a pact we never needed to join, and will block any Dáil proposals in this regard.
“We in Sinn Féin will continue to demand that decisions on migration are taken by the people of this country based on our own needs and circumstances.”
