Ireland to bring in legislation to send back asylum seekers to UK after Rishi Sunak claims Rwanda scheme is working as deterrent

Simon Harris asked the country’s justice minister, Helen McEntee, to bring legislation to cabinet to enable asylum seekers to be sent back to the UK.

Ms McEntee has said 80 per cent of new arrivals to Ireland who are seeking asylum came across the Irish border from the UK.

In an interview which is due to be screened this morning with Sky News, Mr Sunak said the Rwanda scheme, which would see anyone who arrives in the UK through “illegal” means, such as on a small boat, or in the back of a lorry, was working, claiming the “deterrent is already having an impact”.

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act was signed into law on Thursday.

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Speaking on RTÉ's Six One News, Ms McEntee said she would meet with Home Secretary James Cleverly on Monday to discuss emergency legislation to be put before the Irish cabinet this week to “make sure we can effectively return people to the UK.”

She said: “There are many reasons why we have seen an increase in migration toward Ireland.

“What's clear in the decision that the UK have taken in choosing Brexit, they have actually seen an increase in people seeking asylum in their country. The way that they deal with that, it's their policy.

“My focus as minister for justice is making sure that we have an effective immigration structure and system.”

Speaking to Sky News's Trevor Phillips, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was asked whether the UK was "exporting the problem" in light of claims from the Irish Government.

Mr Sunak said: "The deterrent is - according to your comment - already having an impact, because people are worried about coming here and that demonstrates exactly what I'm saying: if people come to our country illegally, but know that they won't be able to stay, they're much less likely to come.”