Taoiseach working on proposals to tackle migrant accommodation issues
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The Taoiseach has said he is currently working on proposals with colleagues across the Government to tackle the migrant accommodation issue, and that encampments will not be allowed "to fester".
Simon Harris was speaking in Fermoy, Co Cork, after it emerged 30 new tents had been erected along Dublin's Grand Canal just hours after a multi-agency operation on Thursday to move 160 migrants from an encampment set up there in recent days.
Surrounded by elected representatives and candidates for the local and European elections at Corrin Mart on Friday, Mr Harris said: “As Taoiseach, I am determined to bring a whole-of-Government approach in relation to addressing the very significant challenge this country is currently facing regarding migration and accommodation relating to that.
"I inherited a very challenging situation — I have been Taoiseach for around a month.”
He said he convened two multi-agency operations in his 32 days in office to tackle migrant encampments on Mount Street and the Grand Canal in Dublin, resulting in up to 450 people being “provided with safer, better accommodation and access to sanitation”. He added a “public health emergency in Mount Street” was averted with the action.
But Mr Harris said the situation around accommodation for migrants “is extremely challenging”.
“I think we do need to look at all the levers of the State’s disposal in terms of what is sustainable migration policy. So yes, we are looking at accommodation on a daily basis, on a several-times-a-day basis, and I do expect to see more responses coming on stream.
"We will not have a situation where these encampments are allowed to fester and go on for weeks and weeks and months and months, as was the case in Mount Street. That is not acceptable to me.”
He accepted, however, there may be other situations where more tents are erected by migrants. He said: “The Government will work with agencies on a multi-agency approach — none of this siloed stuff — to resolve these issues".
“I am working really intensively with colleagues across Government to come forward with proposals in relation to that and I hope to have more news on that in the days ahead.”
He stressed, however, that migrants should not be targeted by people angered by the growth in migration.
"Immigration has benefited this country, immigration continues to benefit this country,” Mr Harris said.
The Taoiseach said people wanted to know that Ireland has a rules-based system which results in someone being able to integrate into and make a contribution to Irish society if they qualify for status here, “but equally if they get a no, that the rules also work in relation to that”.
He said the situation had been “somewhat allowed fester” on Mount Street for “many weeks and into months” which he stressed “cannot be allowed happen again”.
"We are in an extremely challenging situation in relation to accommodation. We are seeing a very large number of people come to our country and this country needs to be honest in terms of the constraints we are facing regarding accommodation.
"So I am satisfied that there will be more accommodation solutions coming on stream. I think we have to be honest about a lot of that may look like tents with sanitation on public sites but a more safe environment from both a public health point of view and from a legal point of view.”