"People place themselves in the hands of smugglers or traffickers because they see no other alternative. They cannot find a legal pathway.
The response to this tragedy should not be to push for tighter or more punitive immigration control for migrants or asylum seekers.
We need to instead look at providing safe and legal alternatives including through reinstating family reunification for dependent family members of refugees, easing employment permit restrictions, and investing in our resettlement programmes.
This is also something that needs to be addressed at EU level with greater co-operation. Ultimately, when legal channels close, it opens doors for trafficking and exploitation."
Nasc CEO, Fiona Finn
The full article is available here on the Irish Examiner website.