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DUP endorses deal to restore devolution

Issue of immigration is set to take centre stage – again – when the Cabinet meets this morning

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson addresses the media following a meeting with 120 executive members of the DUP on a deal to restore Stormont. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Jennifer Bray's face
Jennifer Bray
Tue Jan 30 2024 - 07:30

Good morning,

Stormont powersharing to return

There was big news this morning with the announcement that powersharing in Northern Ireland is set to return after the DUP executive backed a British government deal aimed at addressing concerns over post-Brexit trade barriers.

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson told reporters in press conference at 1am in Co Down that he had secured the “decisive” backing of the 130-strong party executive following a marathon meeting on Monday night. Several senior figures are understood to be opposed, however.

Sinn Féin is now in line to take the First Minister’s job in a restored ministerial executive, possibly within days. Party leader Mary Lou McDonald said she was optimistic that Stormont could return. You can follow our live coverage of the DUP decision here.

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Immigration

The issue of immigration is set to take centre stage – again – when the Cabinet meets this morning to discuss fresh plans to effectively clampdown on the number of potentially wrongful International Protection arrivals.

As we report in our lead story today, two new countries will be added to the list of “safe countries” of origin, meaning International Protection applicants from these places face a faster processing time and could ultimately find themselves unsuccessful in their applications. The two new countries are Algeria and Botswana.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee will outline the full details in a memo to Cabinet which will also outline plans to clamp down on people who arrive into Ireland but who already have refugee status in another European state.

The move comes as immigration tops the list of issues getting the attention of voters in the past month, according to public sentiment tracking by Ipsos B&A.

In case you missed our coverage of the new tracker, this is the first instalment of our new Snapshot series. Watch the interactive graph below to see how immigration has shot ahead as the number one issue on voters’ minds in recent months.

There is no doubt that the Government is feeling the pressure on immigration, so it is unsurprising that Ministers are now discussing ways to better manage the situation. Under McEntee’s plans, International Protection applicants coming from the ten safe countries will have their cases considered and decisions issued within a maximum of 90 days.

The accelerated processing will come into effect from Wednesday.

Safe countries are those where generally there is no persecution, torture, inhumane treatment or conflict. If there is opposition to the proposals today, that opposition is likely to focus on the criteria used by the Government to pick those two new countries.

The following countries are also designated as safe countries of origin: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and South Africa.

As part of that same memo, Minister McEntee will say that she plans to clamp down on those who already have refugee status in another European state. They will be entered into an inadmissibility procedure which will also now be subject to fast processing. This will also come into effect from Wednesday.

Gaza motion to increase pressure on Government

The Israel-Hamas war and ensuing scenes of devastation in Palestine dominated Leaders’ Questions before Christmas, and the issue remains in the political spotlight so far in 2024. This evening in the Dáil, Sinn Féin will table a motion to heap pressure on the Government to join with South Africa in their case at the International Court of Justice.

The ICJ has found that South Africa’s accusation that Israel has breached the genocide convention was plausible enough for it to order emergency measures to protect Palestinian lives.

Sinn Féin wants unanimous support from all political parties and TDs but the Government is awaiting legal advice.

Politicians have been inundated with messages to their constituency offices from the public asking why the Government has not joined the case, and Ministers are acutely aware that they will need to come to a more solid final position.

Already we have seen senior Coalition figures like Minister for Justice Helen McEntee saying she would like to see Ireland intervene in South Africa’s case. She said, however, that the Government needs the full facts because “what you are doing essentially is accusing another country of genocide.”

The court stopped short of ordering a ceasefire as South Africa had requested, but it told Israel to prevent acts of genocide “with immediate effect”.

The full case as to whether Israel has breached the genocide convention will be heard at a later date. The Government wants South Africa to share the details of their case before issuing a final assessment. And as Cormac McQuinn reports here today, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said Ireland has already been in touch with South Africa, but that it could be a number of months before they make their substantive case.

This evening’s motion will keep the pressure on domestically.

Follow www.irishtimes.com for all updates.

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Playbook

Dáil Éireann
  • Leaders’ Questions are up at 2pm, followed by Taoiseach’s questions at 3:05pm.
  • At 3.50pm, Government business will be taken with statements on the co-ordination of services for those seeking protection in Ireland.
  • The main moving part this evening will be a motion brought by Sinn Féin during their Private Members’ time. Sinn Féin has lodged the motion to call for Ireland to join with South Africa in their case at the International Court of Justice. It is due up at 7.22pm.
  • Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys will take questions on her brief at 9.24pm.
  • The Dáil adjourns at 11.42pm.
  • View the full schedule here: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/dail-schedule/
Seanad
  • The Seanad sits today from 1pm until after 5pm.
  • Commencement matters are up first followed by the Order of Business.
  • At 3.15pm there will be a motion on the Tribunal of Inquiry into certain matters relating to the complaints processes in the Defence Forces.
  • Then at 5pm, the Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024 is up, which is aimed at ensuring that there are enough coroners to operate in the Dublin district and other areas.
Committees
  • At 10.30am, the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying will continue with their ongoing hearings. Today, members will look at systems for assisted dying and alternative policies. Politicians will hear from Professor Nancy Preston, Professor Roderick MacLeod and Professor Ben White, as well as representatives from the Danish Council of Ethics.
  • At 11am, the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action will hear from representatives of EirGrid.
  • At 3pm, the Joint Committee on Housing will discuss proposed changes to the River Shannon, Grand and Royal canals with representatives from Waterways Ireland, Royal Canal Amenity Group and the Irish Residential Boat Owners’ Association.
  • Read a more detailed schedule here.

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