Fine Gael Senators want more investment in migration system

All Fine Gael Senators will today urge the Justice Minister to invest more resources into the migration system to ensure a quicker and more efficient system.

The 17 Senators have a motion in the Oireachtas this evening asking Government to take a range of actions including:

• invest additional resources to ensure that we can quickly process visa and immigration permissions;
• remain responsive to our economic needs including our skills needs across the health and care, agriculture, construction and multinational sectors;
• continue to implement a firmer migration system that enhances border security, streamlines processing, ensures faster removals, and protects the integrity of our immigration framework, while supporting those in need;
• implement clear timelines to ensure that all applications are processed efficiently;
• implement stronger border security, including increasing the collection of fingerprints and photographs from new arrivals, enhancing our ability to verify identities;
• enforce policies to protect migrants from exploitation and abuse, highlighting the social and economic benefits of migration to counter anti-immigration sentiments;
• continue to improve value for money in the accommodation system, moving away from relying on private providers towards a core of State-owned accommodation;
• require international protection applicants to contribute towards their accommodation costs;
• ensure that people who arrive here from safe countries, with false or no documents, or who have crossed borders illegally are subject to an accelerated processing system so that decisions are made quickly;
• ensure that any applicant whose international protection application has been refused in another EU member state will be subject to an accelerated hearing under an inadmissibility procedure;
• publish a new national Migration and Integration Strategy;
• renew the focus and the purpose of the Community Recognition Fund to ensure it meets the needs of local communities which are supporting new arrivals and to ensure every community benefits to guarantee supports for vital services.

The motion acknowledges Irish people have emigrated throughout the world and helped build cities and communities wherever they went, that Ireland benefits from migration and immigration here has increased in line with our increased prosperity.

It states thousands of people come here to work, study and fill essential skills gaps and make a significant contribution to our society.

It is signed by all Fine Gael Senators; Senators Seán Kyne, Garret Ahearn, Manus Boyle, Nikki Bradley, Paraic Brady, Cathal Byrne, Maria Byrne, Mark Duffy, Garret Kelleher, Mike Kennelly, Eileen Lynch, P.J. Murphy, Linda Nelson Murray, Evanne Ní Chuilinn, Noel O’Donovan, Joe O’Reilly, Gareth Scahill.