Labour Party Justice spokesman Mr Joe Costello has criticised the Government's new immigration regulations offering immigrants with Irish-born children subsidised fares to return to their native countries.
The scheme - introduced yesterday by the Minister of Justice, Mr McDowell - would subsidise transport costs for immigrants who have claimed residency here as parents of Irish citizens,if they return to their native countries voluntarily.
The Government has sanctioned the scheme aimed at clearing the claims backlog in the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling last January that non-EU immigrants do not have a right to reside in Ireland solely because they are parents of Irish citizen children.
Mr McDowell has consistently resisted calls for an "amnesty" for parents whose residency applications were already pending when the Supreme Court ruling was made.
Mr Costello said today that the new deportation plans are "typical of quick-fix approach to immigration" and has called on the Minister to "halt" the introduction of the new regulations.
He said the Oireachtas Justice Committee wrote to the Minister ten days ago requesting to meet him before the introduction of any new regulations and said Mr McDowell was "proceeding with deportation plans without proper consultation".
Calling for an explanation to the Committee, Mr Costello said: "His whole approach to immigration is characterised by short-term, quick-fix solutions that represent a completely unsustainable approach".