PRITI Patel raised concerns to Irish leaders that their open-door policy for Ukrainian refugees could potentially endanger the UK.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed the UK Home Secretary contacted Dublin to express concerns about the visa-free policy amid briefings from Downing Street that it’s worried about migrants reaching the UK via the back door.
In remarks which were branded “disgraceful” in the Irish parliament, a UK official suggested that Ukrainian criminals could exploit the Common Travel Area to set up illegal enterprises in Britain.
After being contacted by Patel, Martin said that justice minister Helen McEntee had reminded the Home Secretary that Ireland’s policy was in line with the rest of the EU’s.
“That continues to be our position in respect of prioritising the humanitarian response, above and beyond anything else,” Martin told the Dáil.
More than 2500 Ukrainian refugees have already arrived in Ireland, with that number expected to rapidly increase.
Earlier this week, a Whitehall source told the Telegraph: “Ireland has basically opened the door to everyone in Ukraine, which creates a problem due to the Common Travel Area.
“We've seen before with migrants from Albania that they have come through Dublin, into Belfast and across to the mainland to Liverpool. That's created a drug cartel route."
They added: “It's the Home Office that will get the blame if in three or five years’ time [if] there are problems with those who come. That’s why the security checks have to be done carefully now.”
Patel has since relaxed entry requirements to the UK after telling MPs she has received assurances on security matters.
However, Nicola Sturgeon warned the changes do “not yet go far enough” as successful applicants will still need family connections in the UK and will still need to complete an application in advance, albeit online.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon hopeful as UK confirms changes to Ukrainian refugee scheme
Responding to the briefing from the anonymous UK Government official, Irish Social Democrat MP Jennifer Whitmore said: “I think it’s disgraceful and there’s a responsibility to actually do a lot more and for them to welcome people into their country.”
“Under the Common Travel Area arrangements, you have to be an Irish or British citizen to utilise that right of movement. So what has been said is completely wrong.
“What it does is it creates this fear amongst people and creates division. It was incredibly irresponsible and they should never have made that statement.”
Irish MP Richard Boyd Barrett said the UK Government’s response to the refugee crisis was “absolutely terrible”.
He told the Dáil: “It really shows a considerable hypocrisy on the part of the British government, who are very keen to justify their own involvement in military alliances, but then don’t want us to extend the sort of humanitarian solidarity and refuge to people fleeing the conflict.”
McEntee refused to be drawn on the UK Government’s concerns about the Irish plan to welcome tens of thousands of refugees.
“We engage regularly with the Home Office,” the Irish justice minister said. “We’ve been speaking to them directly about this issue and the invasion of Ukraine since February 24. I have spoken directly to Priti Patel myself and our team and our offices are in constant co-operation.
“It is really important that we do make sure the appropriate measures are taken, security checks are put in place and obviously where necessary information is shared between our offices and those in the UK.
“We discussed a number of things but obviously our focus and our priority was making sure that we stayed in contact with each other, that we’re able to share information where necessary.
“The conversations I have with Priti Patel are the most important, not the reports I read on a newspaper.”
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