Ireland suggests UK's Rwanda plan could be boosting incoming migrant numbers

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) - Ireland's premier Micheal Martin suggested on Friday that a recent surge in international migrants to Ireland could be linked to Britain's controversial Rwanda policy.

Martin said that a reception center for Ukrainian refugees in Dublin was now 70% comprised of international protection applicants.

Ireland has an open-door policy for Ukrainian refugees. It also has open travel with the UK.

Martin said: "We will be analyzing this, but something has happened in the last two to three months in terms of the surge within international protection applicants, something has clearly happened."

"Anecdotally or intuitively, one can see, and maybe sense, that that policy announcement, which I thought was a wrong policy announcement by the UK, a shocking sort of initiative in my view, to be doing some agreement with Rwanda, clearly may have motivated people utilizing the Common Travel Area to come into the republic (Ireland) -- yes, I think it is one of a number of factors."

The UK recently set up the Rwanda plan with the East African nation, where migrants arriving in Britain via the English Channel are to be sent while their asylum claims are processed.

The plan was criticized by both lawmakers, as well as civil society groups. The British government said it was necessary to tackle cross-border people smuggling.