Gregory Campbell questions Helen McEntee’s claim 80% of international protection applicants from North

The Irish Justice Minister made the claim at the Oireachtas Justice Committee last week.

At Westminster on Tuesday, the East Derry MP said: “The Irish Republic’s Government and their Justice Minister indicated that they believe that up to 80 per cent or more of those who are illegally in the Republic of Ireland are coming across the land border, but that appears to have been a purely subjective figure.”

He went on to ask: "Has the Minister been able to establish the veracity, or otherwise, of such an exceptionally high figure, which the Justice Minister has claimed to be the case?”

Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell replied: “We have not because, as the hon. Gentleman will understand, that is a southern Irish Government responsibility. No doubt the southern Irish Government will be pressed on this matter and will deliver an answer in due course.”

Last week at the Oireacthas Justice Committee Ms. McEntee was quizzed about secondary movements by the Donegal-born Senator Robbie Gallagher.

“Does the Minister have any idea how many come through the Border with Northern Ireland to seek international protection here?” he asked.

Minister McEntee responded: “A significant proportion of people are coming through the Border now.”

When pressed for a figure she said: “I would say higher than 80 per cent.”

Senator Gallagher replied: “Some 80 per cent of applications. That is particularly worrying.”

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