All migrants from Syria will now be subject to security checks before being accepted into Ireland.
Biometric screenings will take place in Italian and Greek camps before they are accepted into Ireland, according to Department of Justice officials. Despite this new measure, officials have said that this is not a direct response to the terrorist attacks in Paris and was always planned.
Migrants seeking asylum will be vetted in these centres in Italy and Greece, before being assigned to European countries. If they are rejected then they may also be deported and will not be granted access to Ireland or EU countries.
Following the attacks in Paris, it was revealed that a passport found near the body of one of the Paris attackers belonged to a man who arrived on a Greek island after fleeing from Syria. This revelation gave rise to the issue of how strict the vetting plans must be to prevent slips through the system.
Ireland is set to take in up to 4,000 migrants as part of EU plans to aid the refugee crisis in the EU, however this process has been slowed significantly due to migrants refusing to apply for asylum, fearing they may be forced to remain in Italy or Greece instead of progressing to EU countries for asylum. It was initially thought that up to 500 refugees would be in Ireland by Christmas.
Senior gardaí said they had to be aware of the potential for terrorists to take advantage of the flow of migrants to make their way into Europe; however, it is important that the difference between refugees and terrorists is clear to the public.
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald yesterday said that the threat of an attack on Ireland is “possible but unlikely”, and that challenges being faced by police forces across Europe because of mass migration pose great challenges for EU countries.
While she warned of the dangers in associating terrorism with the refugee crisis, she also acknowledged the dangers that abuse of migration posed to the EU.