EU migration pact
Deputy McNamara asks about Ireland’s position on the EU migration pact and its separate legal instruments. The Taoiseach says the justice committee is still considering it and that any implementation will require legislation and Dáil votes.
I listened carefully to what the Taoiseach said earlier. He told Deputy McDonald about the importance of this State being able to frame its own migration policy. He told Deputy Bacik about how important the open border with Northern Ireland remains. That is exactly what the Irish people voted for in the Lisbon treaty when we had an opt-out on the asylum area. Some aspects of the migration pact are beneficial to this State but others are not. There are ten different legal instruments, all of which were voted on separately in the European Parliament. I understand it is currently proposed that this Dáil, notwithstanding the importance of the mandate the Taoiseach has espoused, will be given one vote. It is a case of take them all or leave them all. That is profoundly undemocratic. Will we get to vote on these legal instruments individually?
Comment on this
The committee has yet to discuss that. As Deputy McNamara knows from his participation in the justice committee, it is currently giving consideration to the Pact. I believe the committee asked for more time. It is sensible that such time is provided and then the Government will consider matters if they come back to the Dáil.
In addition to the vote on the Pact, obviously any decision in relation to it will require legislation. That will provide all Deputies in this House with an opportunity to vote on it line by line and item by item.