Cathal Barry“Ireland can play a hugely important role in influencing the debate away from the hysteria”
Ireland has an important “moral role” to play in finding a solution to the current migrant boat crisis in the Mediterranean, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said.
Leonard Doyle of the IOM told The Irish Catholic that Ireland is ideally placed to “influence the debate”.
“Ireland has long history of migration. The Irish people are well aware that people don’t leave a country for fun, they do it because they have to. History has shown that immigrants contribute greatly to societies. Ireland can play a hugely important role in influencing the debate away from the hysteria and xenophobia we have been seeing,” he said.
Highlighting the need for a managed migration programme in Europe, Mr Doyle insisted “the fact that it’s unregulated sends a message that there is a huge and uncontrollable flow when it is anything but”.
Appreciation
“Until there is an appreciation that this is a problem that requires long term solutions I don’t have much confidence that this crisis will be resolved,” he said.
Echoing calls for increased regulation, Oscar Spooner of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) warned that without a “comprehensive full scale search and rescue system in place you cannot be surprised that these tragedies are continuing to happen”.
Mr Spooner criticised the “very restrictive” asylum policies of European countries which he claimed were contributing to the problem.
“It’s extremely difficult for people fleeing countries to claim international protection. There has been a lot of talk so far from EU countries and very little concrete action.
“Surely now it’s time we see some action from politicians. Every government has a role to play,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brendan Smith TD has called on the Irish Government to “play its part in finding a solution” to the crisis.
“Even though Ireland is geographically apart from the tragedies unfolding in the Mediterranean, we have a moral duty to play our part in finding a solution to this crisis.
“We must accept that we have a part to play in any new EU refugee strategy,” he said.