Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Is the Minister of State concerned that one of the key stakeholders in the working group resigned last week because it was not allowed to comment on the heads of the Bill? The group requested that the heads and the legislation's extent be discussed. The stakeholder stated that issues like the reception directive, which should be taken on board during the Bill's development, were not discussed. Therefore, and with great regret, Ms Sue Conlan on behalf of the Irish Refugee Council, IRC, withdrew from the working group, which was a major move. There is a sense that the group is being used as cover to avoid going into some of the details. Given what we have heard from the likes of Ms Conlan, however, those issues were not discussed prior to her reservation. She felt that she had no other option but to resign. To remain would have been construed as agreement with what was happening.