Dublin's migrant 'tent city': Makeshift encampment lines the pavements around ... trends now
Stark new images have revealed dozens of tents sprawling through Dublin streets as UK and Irish ministers are embroiled in an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.
The string of makeshift accommodation, seen this morning stretching around the International Protection Office and continuing along the road, has been dubbed a 'tent city' by the Irish Examiner, which reported there are roughly 1,700 homeless asylum seekers currently in Ireland.
The tents, packed tightly together with minimal personal space, have no access to sanitary facilities with migrants telling reporters earlier this month they were forced to use an open toilet in the corner of the camp.
A large group of the migrants were moved to another location in south Dublin earlier this month but later returned because the conditions there were reportedly even worse.
Several of their tents sported scrawled messages that read 'we are not subhuman' and 'homes for all'.
It comes as UK Government ministers today flatly rejected Dublin's demands to take back asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland.
The Republic has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to pass new laws to facilitate returns of migrants, after the country's courts declared the UK cannot be classed as 'safe' due to the pact with the African state.
However, a spokesman for Rishi Sunak today suggested that the Prime Minister would ignore any new law, saying: 'Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who it does or does not accept into the country.
'We are not going to start accepting returns from the EU, just as France doesn't accept returns from the UK.'
People walking past tents housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office, in Dublin
Ireland's justice minister Helen McEntee last week claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the state is now 'higher than 80%' following a shift in migration patterns in recent months
Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey – a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year
Tents housing asylum seekers near to the Office of International Protection, in Dublin
Homeless asylum seekers scrawl messages on the side of their tents
Claims that the majority of asylum seekers entering Ireland had crossed the border from Northern Ireland have been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations
Tents housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office, in Dublin
The Republic of Ireland has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda
Tents are seen housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office in Dublin
Mr Sunak told Sky News yesterday that the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'
The spat comes comes as Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey – a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.
The Republic remains part of the European Union, which has blocked British attempts to resolve the Channel crisis with a returns agreement to France.
In a sign of the rising tensions, Dublin had been talking up a meeting between justice minister Helen McEntee and Home Secretary James Cleverly in London today.
However, Mr Cleverly has stepped aside due to other engagements, and Ms McEntee has now pulled out. As a result foreign minister Micheal Martin hold talks with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris instead.
Mr Heaton-Harris told a press conference that the UK has been told throughout Brexit that immigration was something to be dealt with by 'the EU as a whole', not with individual countries.
Mr Sunak told Sky News yesterday that the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'.
In a round of interviews this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride underlined Rishi Sunak's view that the row shows the Rwanda policy is already working - even though the first flights are months away.
'We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK,' Mr Stride said. 'What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works.'
Former Cabinet minister David Jones told MailOnline that even if migrants were returned to Belfast they could simply cross into
