Migrants heading to Ireland from UK 'early signs of deterrent effect' of Rwanda Plan, says Cabinet minister

The Irish Government has said there had been an increase in asylum seekers arriving across the Northern Ireland border
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Migrants heading to Ireland from the UK are “early signs of the deterrent effect working” of the Government’s Rwanda Plan, says a Cabinet minister.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also stressed that the scheme to control illegal immigration into Britain is “going to work” once the first deportation flights take off for Rwanda within ten to 12 weeks.

But shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said it is “way too premature” to say that the controversial Rwanda Plan is proving to be a deterrent.

UK and Irish ministers were due to meet in London amid an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

Ireland’s deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin is to co-chair a meeting of the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference in London on Monday with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

Home Secretary James Cleverly and Justice Minister Helen McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss “strengthening” the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

Ms McEntee has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now “higher than 80%” due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Mr Stride made clear that the UK has no intention of allowing migrants who have moved to Ireland to be returned to the UK, while France refuses to allow such deportations from Britain.

Speaking on LBC Radio, he said: “We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK.

“We have passed the legislation (Rwanda Bill).

“What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect working.”

The Rwanda Bill and a treaty with Rwanda are intended to prevent further legal challenges to the stalled asylum scheme after the Supreme Court ruled the plan was unlawful, on the basis that some asylum seekers sent from the UK to the African country could be returned to the country from where they had fled even if it would mean they were at risk of torture and even death.

As well as compelling judges to regard the country as safe, it gives ministers the power to ignore emergency injunctions.

But the controversial legislation is now expected to be challenged on several fronts in the courts and doubts remain over its impact.

Mr Lammy said: “I suspect actually as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, I’m afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel.

“I think it’s way too premature to say now that we’ve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. That’s just not going to be the case.”

Mr Lammy also called for a “coordinated agreement” with European countries, rather than a “whack-a-mole situation” where compromises were made with individual states as they raised complaints.

The Rwanda Plan aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

Irish premier Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland won’t “provide a loophole” for other countries’ migration “challenges”.

Mr Harris also said that “close” collaboration and cooperation between the British and Irish governments was “not just desirable, but absolutely essential”.

“When it comes to migration, I do think it’s important that there is collaboration, where appropriate, between the PSNI and Gardai.”

The UK Government rejected any bid by Ireland to return asylum seekers unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

“We won’t accept any asylum returns from the EU via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France,” a Government source said.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill called for a “thought-out” and “considered” response from both the British and Irish governments.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss emergency legislation on Tuesday that would see asylum seekers “returned” to the UK.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling that found Ireland designating the UK as a “safe third country” for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

“I will seek Government approval for the legislation to be rapidly drafted so that the UK can again be designated as a safe country for returns,” Ms McEntee said in a statement.

“My department has been working on this as a priority since last month’s High Court judgment and I intend that returns to the UK will recommence once the law is enacted.”

Mr Martin said: “I am pleased to be in London for another important meeting of the BIIGC, the first such meeting since the restoration of the Strand I and Strand II institutions.

“As ever, there are numerous areas of mutual interest for the Governments to discuss and I look forward to another productive conference.”

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