I wish to highlight again the fact that the Government is not properly controlling immigration at Dublin Airport, and at all other entry points, which has grave negative consequences. Arriving at an Irish entry point without documentation breaks the law, and no one is being prosecuted. The Government is misleading the public by praising the benefits of immigration while allowing people without proper ID into the country through a flawed system. This intentional confusion aims to silence criticism.

While we all support genuine asylum seekers fleeing persecution, the Government's approach makes it hard to distinguish between genuine cases and those exploiting the system. Many asylum seekers are economic migrants, not fleeing in fear of their lives, leading to what is called asylum tourism. Despite being deemed a safe country, the likes of Georgia is sending many asylum seekers to Ireland. The lack of a robust verification process poses a threat to safety and compromises the integrity of the asylum process. The Government claims that all asylum seekers are fingerprinted and checked for criminal records but this is patently untrue and misleading.

Some 13,521 people seeking asylum have been allowed into Dublin Airport since 2018 without a shred of ID or any documentation. This figure has been confirmed by the Minister for Justice in a reply to a parliamentary question from me recently. This is a very serious matter, yet there is no investigation, consequence or prosecution. Allowing unidentified individuals to arrive here without consequences for destroying their travel ID not only results in exploitation of Irish resources, which are entirely funded by the taxpayer, but also undermines social cohesion. Despite the consequences, this issue is getting worse not better. The numbers arriving at Dublin Airport without any form of ID, despite needing it to board the aircraft on which they arrive here, is skyrocketing under the Government.

The figures paint a concerning picture of lax immigration controls and serious security risks. For example, in 2018 some 895 individuals arrived without any shred of ID. The numbers continued to rise in 2019, with 1,579 undocumented arrivals. Even during the challenging times in 2020 when travel was significantly reduced due to the pandemic, 712 individuals arrived with no proper documentation. That is only through Dublin Airport. In 2021, despite ongoing restrictions, 2,082 individuals arrived without travel ID. In 2022, a staggering 4,968 undocumented arrivals were allowed in here that year. Last year, there were 3,285. What is going on? These incidents are not being followed up. The figures highlight that since the Government came to office, 11,047 individuals arrived at Dublin Airport without a shred of ID.

The Taoiseach can make all the statements he likes but this is a simple fact. These individuals are being absorbed into the IPAS system. Some may have criminal records - they do because they broke the law by coming in illegally. It is just as if they did nothing wrong.

As I said before and will continue to say, migration is a very sensitive issue and is abused by politicians all over the world to gain votes. Often, that is based on misinformation and hate-mongering. I will say it again - migration, in the round, has been a very good thing for Ireland. If it was not for migrants coming here to work in our health service, build our houses and look after our older people, we would not be able to provide the kind of services we provide now. Far from being the cause of our problems, migration is part of the solution to many of them, particularly when it comes to building new homes and running our health and social care services. The major companies that invest in Ireland and pay billions in tax, which allows us to run our schools, hospitals and pension system, would not be here were it not for the fact that they can attract skilled labour from all over the world. Our buses would not run, our restaurants would not operate and our shops would not be open. I will say that again and again any time anyone raises the issue of migration in this Chamber because it is important that we always acknowledge that at the start of any contribution. I hope other Members, including Opposition Members, will at least do that too.

The number of people coming through Dublin Airport without documents has fallen. We have stepped up our activities in that regard.

Ask the Minister.

It is about 34%.

There are now gardaí in airports in other parts of Europe working with authorities there. We increasingly check people coming off planes, not just at border control. We are liaising with airlines to make sure their staff are properly trained. There are fines which we impose on airlines if they allow people onto aircraft undocumented. We are seeing a reduction in the number of people coming through Dublin Airport undocumented. We estimate, and believe based on evidence, that the majority of people who seek international protection in Ireland come across the Border from north to south. I do not think anyone is suggesting we close the Border between the North and South. Of course, they go in the other direction too. That is the reality of the situation.

The Deputy said two things that require at least a degree of correction and explanation. Some 40% of people who apply for international protection get it. That is not far off half. We need to bear in mind when people see a group of migrants coming into the country that roughly half of them are determined by our system as deserving of international protection. It is not a small minority; it is 40%, which is not far off half. That is why we need to make sure we assess everybody's application fairly. If somebody comes to an airport without documents, they are sent back. However, if they apply for international protection, in that scenario they are allowed to have their application heard fairly. Unless the Deputy is suggesting that we leave the UN and exempt ourselves from international law and become some of a hermit kingdom, that will continue to be the case. That is just not common sense.

It is not always the case that people destroy their documents. We do not find destroyed documents in bins or bathrooms. What happens is that they are trafficked into the country and the person who trafficked them takes the IDs off them at a certain point, probably while they are still on the plane. We are doing everything we can to crack down on trafficking. That is why it is so important that we are part of the EU asylum pact because we can only do that on a multilateral basis.

I would be delighted if the Taoiseach answered my question but he answered a totally different question. The figures I quoted were by the person sitting two seats away from him - the Minister for Justice - only last week, yet the Taoiseach said the figures are dropping. In 2021, despite ongoing restrictions, 2,082 individuals arrived without travel ID in Dublin Airport. In 2022, 4,968 undocumented arrivals were allowed in and last year, 3,285 were allowed in. Are the figures quoted by the Minister for Justice dropping? The Taoiseach spoke about misinformation and disinformation. He should get a gold medal for disseminating disinformation, untruths and downright lies. We are not talking about anyone coming in through normal migration and people who applied through the system, which we all welcome. We are talking about people who have broken the law coming through Dublin Airport. That is only Dublin Airport; it does not include the ports. The Taoiseach has the audacity to try to demonise anyone who asks. The public is waiting for him. They see through his lies and untruths. The figures I quoted are from the Minister for Justice. They are not my figures or figures from any paper or anybody else but the Minister for Justice's figures.

Can we trust these figures at all? The Taoiseach stands up and says that the figures are all wrong and they are dropping, just as he says about the numbers on hospital trolleys and waiting lists. Will he get real? Will somebody pinch him so that he will wake up to the facts as to what is going on in the country? It is a naked blackguarding of our system. People are coming through without a shred of documentary evidence, which is a crime. We are prosecuting people for not having television licences or no flashlamps on their bikes and God knows but people can just walk in here. Some are trafficked, which is horrific, but I believe the number is very small. Our country is just a sieve for them. It is a joke.

It is not in order to accuse the Taoiseach, any member of Government or any other colleague of lying in the House.

The figures are there. They came from the Taoiseach's Minister and he should ask her about them.

It is not in order.

The Deputy was in full flow and speaking very quickly so I may have misunderstood him but I think I heard him say that the numbers were 4,000 in 2022 and 3,000 in 2023. That is a drop. Moving from 4,000 to 3,000 is a drop.

What about the other years?

I have explained to the Deputy exactly why that drop has occurred.

I am talking about the overall numbers.

It is because of actions taken by the Government. If somebody enters the country through Dublin Airport without documents, one of two things happens. Either they get sent back, and that happens all the time, or alternatively, if they apply for international protection, they are entitled to have that application assessed properly and as quickly as we can. That is what we do. It is not correct to make the automatic assumption that if somebody enters the county in an undocumented manner he or she has committed a crime.

It breaks the law.

Many of these people, perhaps even most of them, are trafficked. That is the truth.

Is it a crime or does it break the law to come in with no documentation?

We do not find bins full of destroyed passports or documents and we do not find them flushed down toilets. Most of these people, Deputy, are trafficked. They have been subject to a crime themselves and the Deputy should admit that.