THE TAOISEACH has said that it is “likely” the Government will opt to pay a financial contribution instead of accepting more migrants, under a new European Union pact on immigration.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos today Leo Varadkar said that Ireland “has an option to provide financial resources as an alternative to accepting more migrants under the pact”. 

Though he cautioned that the Government will have to decide on the matter when it arises, he said as things currently stand, it would be opting for Ireland to pay the money. 

“At the moment we’re having a huge difficulty providing accommodation to people who come to Ireland seeking international protection, I think it is more likely we would decide to make a financial contribution than to accept more people.” he said. 

Varadkar said that these things are done on a “case by case” basis, however.

The EU reached a historic agreement within its parliament on the new pact of migration and asylum on 20 December last year. 

After three years of negotiations, member states agreed on the pact, which will see  key proposals implemented. 

These include:  

• Introducing a uniform screening process for the identification of non-EU nationals upon their arrival in a member state.
• Developing a common database to detect “unauthorised movements”. 
• Making asylum, return and border procedures more effective. 
• Establishing a ‘asylum migration management regulation’ that will see some member states have the option to pay a monetary contribution, rather than accepting migrants. 
• To prepare the EU for a situation of migration “crisis”, including the “instrumentalisation” of migrants – which means to organise. 

The pact also protects the right to apply for asylum, the EU has said. 

The next steps of the pact being implemented will involve these proposals being adopted by the European parliament and council, legislative acts being adopted, and then member states implementing the new rules in their national legislation.