There is no alternative to access controls when it comes to dealing with immigrants and asylum-seekers, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Michael McDowell, stated yesterday. But he stressed that the Government is committed to bringing in new immigration and residence legislation that will include the equivalent of the "green card" used by immigrants in the US.
Speaking at the Patrick MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, Mr McDowell, said the revolution in communications and transportation is making it increasingly easy for people to reach the EU countries.
However, he said, "all sovereign states know there is no alternative to access controls. To remove them, as some would suggest, would only result in a large increase in illegal immigration and would undermine public confidence in the ability of the state to manage immigration flows and to provide protection to those individuals who are genuinely in need of it.
"The challenge for Ireland and for the EU is to find humane, effective and efficient responses to the dramatic increases in this movement of people, both legal and illegal. There will be no easy or quick solution to these issues and international co-operation, especially at EU level, is absolutely essential," he said.
He said that Ireland supports, in principle, the concept of a single European asylum and migration policy based on the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty.
"It makes sense that if we are to guarantee freedom of movement within the union then it follows that we must have a system to deal with asylum and immigration issues as well.
"Migration is a phenomenon which will enrich our society. It is something from which we can all benefit. It is something we can cannot put our heads in the sand about or adopt negative or xenophobic attitudes about," he stated.