Harris claims UK Government confirms ‘operating agreement’ for asylum seekers
Irish premier Simon Harris has claimed that the UK Government has confirmed there is an “operating agreement” to allow asylum seekers to be returned between both jurisdictions.
It comes as the Cabinet approved emergency legislation from the Minister of Justice Helen McEntee to allow the UK to be designated as a safe country to enable asylum seekers to be transferred back there.
The Taoiseach said a post-Brexit deal was struck in 2020 and allows asylum seekers whose applications are “inadmissible” to be “returned” to the UK and vice versa.
A High Court ruling in March deemed the legal basis for designating the UK as a safe country to “return” asylum seekers to as unsound under EU law.
Mr Harris said Ms McEntee has acted swiftly to address this High Court ruling.
A row has developed between Ireland
