DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland's Minister of Justice Jim O'Callaghan has reiterated that there is no comparison between the country's immigration system and the practices of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

O'Callaghan was speaking about immigration issues on a television show this week when he was asked if it was acceptable to pick up illegal migrants off the streets, like those being carried out by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

O'Callaghan answered, "We're nowhere near what's happening in the United States."

However, he said that people who receive deportation orders, including asylum seekers whose claims have been denied and those who have overstayed their visas, must leave the country.

He said that such people must leave voluntarily, and if they don't, they will be politely and peacefully asked to leave.

When a talk show host asked about the 1.2 billion euros the government spends on housing asylum seekers, O'Callaghan said he was introducing steps to cut those costs.

He said one plan is to buy more properties so the government owns more accommodation instead of renting it, but they are not planning to build new purpose-built centers. He pointed to the Government's purchase of the Citywest Hotel in Dublin last year for 148.2 million euros as an example.

O'Callaghan said that the deal increased the number of state-owned accommodation spaces from 900 to 4,000 in one year. He added that buying the property was cheaper than continuing to lease it. At the time, the Government said the savings from owning the hotel would cover the purchase cost within four years.

He also said the state would not only buy hotels, though he did not give details about what other types of buildings might be purchased. At present, the department's budget for international protection accommodation provides for about 33,000 spaces.Top of FormBottom of Form