Deputy Mattie McGrath, leader of the Dáil’s Rural Independent Group, has criticized the government for deliberately blocking a Dáil debate on the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, labeling the action as a “scandalous attempt to silence debate” on a critical issue.
“It is a scandal that the government, with the facilitated support of ‘so-called’ independent TDs, have moved to silence Dail debate of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact in the Dail today,” stated McGrath from Leinster House.
McGrath highlighted the absence of certain independents during the vote, particularly Michael Lowry, who was present in Leinster House shortly after. “If those independent TDs had voted against the government’s deliberate blocking of the debate, we could have had an open Dail debate and even a vote which could have resulted in defeating the unwelcome migration pact this week.”
“Ireland, alongside Denmark, retains the legal right to opt-out of EU immigration policies – a right affirmed by the Irish people in the Lisbon referendum. Ignoring this mandate and bypassing a national debate is disregarding the will of the people.”
McGrath expressed concern over the consequences of the pact for Ireland, stating, “The EU would force us to take in a certain number of asylum seekers or to pay a monetary contribution of at least €20,000 to the EU.” He emphasized the skewed impact on Ireland due to its GDP and the activities of the FDI sector, predicting a dramatic increase in the number of asylum seekers in the coming years.
McGrath condemned the lack of debate as a “scandal” and accused the government of being “afraid to listen to the voice of the people or the views of communities across this country.”
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