Ireland will introduce tougher asylum rules to counter any new measures brought in by Labour and ensure migrants continue heading to Britain, Ireland’s Justice Minister has said. The Mail has the story.

Jim O’Callaghan said the UK’s new proposals could alter the flow of asylum seekers between the two countries and insisted Ireland would not become a more attractive destination than Britain. 

In a statement on Tuesday, he said: “I am committed to ensuring that Ireland is not viewed more favourably than the UK by those seeking to claim asylum.

“Consequently, I will closely monitor the changes proposed by the UK Government and will respond to those proposals having considered them fully and discussed them with government colleagues.”

Mr O’Callaghan is due to publish a new International Protection Bill later this year and said “any necessary changes arising from the UK’s change of policy” can be included.

Among the UK measures, there will be no automatic right to family reunion for refugees under core protection.

Mr O’Callaghan said he had already directed a review of Ireland’s rules on family reunification before the UK changes – with proposals to be brought to Cabinet “shortly”.

At the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on Monday, Mr O’Callaghan added Ireland would need to be “nimble” in responding to any future UK changes and warned that shifts in British asylum policy can directly affect movements into Ireland.

New figures published on Tuesday highlight the scale of Ireland’s current asylum accommodation pressures.

More than €1.1 billion has been spent on accommodating asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees in the first three quarters of this year, the figures reveal.

An analysis by the Irish Daily Mail of a database compiled by Fianna Fáil TD Albert Dolan shows that Ireland has spent almost €7 billion accommodating asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees since 2012.

Worth reading in full.