Asylum seekers are pouring into Ireland because they have been put off the UK by the Rwanda policy, Ireland’s deputy prime minister has said.
Micheál Martin, who is also a former Taoiseach, was speaking after the Irish government said more than 80 per cent of asylum seekers in Ireland had crossed the border from Northern Ireland.
He claimed Rishi Sunak’s “knee-jerk” policy to deport Channel migrants to Rwanda was already having a deterrent effect and encouraging asylum seekers to flee to Ireland.
“I believe the Rwanda effect is impacting on Ireland. And I think that didn’t happen today or yesterday. It’s been growing since the first iteration and publication of that strategy around Rwanda,” Mr Martin said in Anman, Jordan on Wednesday.
“I don’t think anyone’s gone to Rwanda yet but to me it’s reflective of a policy,” he said. “But it is having real impact on Ireland now in terms of people being fearful in the UK – maybe that’s the impact it was designed to have.”