Yesterday, a majority of MEPs voted to support the EU migration pact. There was also opposition to the pact, and in the European Parliament some of the commentary on the pact is that it is regressive in terms of human rights, xenophobic and reactionary in not upholding the right to seek asylum in the EU. Does the Tánaiste believe signing up to this pact is the right course of action for Ireland in trying to demonise people fleeing war and persecution?

I would not accept those descriptions of the EU asylum pact. We do need a stronger system across the European Union in terms of those seeking asylum in respect of the efficiency of the system in terms of those who may not be entitled to asylum such that the cases are dealt with more quickly and, if people are not entitled to asylum, they are returned to where they came from and that there are stronger measures in respect of secondary transfers from within the Union, where people are moving about and so on. All of that is needed, particularly for the front-line countries. Migration is a huge issue across the European Union. There is no point in burying your head in the sand and saying it is not. It is, and because it is such a big issue, it is leading to a lot of regressive policies in certain member states. I think it is sensible that we can get a Europe-wide agreement that means a more timely, efficient and fairer but firm system.