Irish Examiner view: EU migration pact may founder on false premise
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In a parallel argument, a surprise application was made to the High Court seeking orders to delay the Dáil and Seanad from voting on measures in the pact until a national referendum is held. That matter was also adjourned.
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The legal and constitutional to and fro over migration policy requires some unbundling, but what these episodes confirm is that, as a nation, we fall some way short of consensus on an issue which has the potential to exercise substantial impact on the general election whenever that arises.
Those of a liberal bent will be wondering exactly how we arrived at this pass. Just 16 months ago, many thousands of people — some put the figure as high as 50,000 — marched in Dublin to demonstrate solidarity and support for refugees and asylum seekers.
Since then, the debate has become significantly more polarised and now threatens to turn toxic over perceived issues of sovereignty and the risk of the State signing up for promises which critics believe are undeliverable.
The EU migration pact attempts to establish a common rulebook for processing applications, the management of screening and security checks, and the speedier return of unsuccessful asylum seekers.
For Justice Minister Helen McEntee, the sovereignty argument is a non-runner since the Lisbon Treaty of 2009. She said:
Ms McEntee’s recollections of the clarity of the prose in that treaty may conflict with the memories of some who either didn’t get the memo, or who feel that “pooling” is government-speak for “giving up”.
We can recall that the first referendum in June 2008 rejected Lisbon heavily, forcing the question to be asked again 16 months later when the Celtic Tiger was in free fall.
That yes campaign, which produced a 20.5% swing of the vote, was heavily backed by Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Greens, and the Labour Party. Of the current major parties, only Sinn Féin opposed it. Donegal South-East and Donegal South-West were the only constituencies to vote no.
Issues which were optimistically put on the long finger back then are now coming to the fore driven by the challenges posed by migration.
Far-right parties did not perform as well as they anticipated in this month’s elections. But the trend is for populist, nationalist, and some Eurosceptic parties.
In the middle of this volatile and unresolved mix, Ireland’s political leaders are being asked to make decisions on projections which some critics say are unrealistic.
Independent senator Michael McDowell, a former tánaiste and justice minister, said based on Government figures of a “new normal” of 25,000 to 30,000 asylum seekers per annum, 120 cases would have to be processed every working day of the year. He added:
Mr McDowell says, as he has consistently, that the EU must face up to the need to reconsider international refugee conventions which were established to deal with the aftermath of the Second World War.
This is far from a minority opinion.
If it is not addressed more openly, it will threaten and damage the cohesion democracies will need to shoulder their share of legitimate responsibilities.
We may not know until tomorrow whether Finance Minister Michael McGrath is to be named as Ireland’s next European commissioner. In Britain, where they like a flutter on such things, the bookies might have stopped taking bets by now.
Mr McGrath is seen as a Fianna Fáil star and among the safest pairs of hands in Government. And he’s busy at the moment preparing the key pre-budget statement and the financial package on which the next election will be fought.
There are Fianna Fáil worries, characterised by our political correspondent Paul Hosford as “taking one of our best players off the pitch” heading into an election.
But with Europe entering choppy waters, we need representatives who have more to offer than fair weather sailors.
Michael McGrath is a more than capable navigator.
In what might be seen as a malevolent tribute to Taylor Swift’s biggest hit, Aer Lingus pilots have chosen their first bout of industrial action to coincide with her long-awaited arrival in Dublin for the biggest shows of the summer.
Swift’s Eras tour is due to stage at Dublin’s Aviva stadium on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, precisely the dates affected by a work to rule and labour withdrawal by the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) in pursuit of a 23.88% pay increase. Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected in the capital.
Whatever your view of the rights and wrongs of this dispute, pilots’ wages are a long way above the national average. With the flag carrier and the union playing hardball, and the Government standing back, the only real losers in the short-term will be fellow citizens, be they Swifties or holidaymakers.
Memories of ministerial inertia and Aer Lingus and its staff will be long and angry unless this matter is resolved double quick.