Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill is currently proceeding through the legislative process in Westminster and is being examined by the House of Lords at present.

I note that the Joint Committee on Human Rights in Westminster in its report on the Bill on 7 February suggested that the UK Government should provide "a full explanation of why it considers the Bill to be consistent with the Windsor Framework and Good Friday Agreement before the Bill reaches Report stage in the House of Lords."

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC), whose establishment was required under the Good Friday Agreement, have expressed their views on the Bill in the last number of weeks. Both Commissions examined the draft legislation's compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights and UN human rights treaties by which the UK Government has agreed to be bound, as well as the Good Friday Agreement's provisions.

We are aware that the ECNI and the NIHRC have raised concerns regarding the compatibility of the Bill with the UK Government’s obligations under these international agreements, in particular the GFA. We are analysing these submissions and the draft legislation and will continue to follow the passage of this legislation closely.