Mr. Pablo Rojas Coppari:

We considered Fianna Fáil's regularisation Bill, which was very much a mirror of previous proposals from the MRCI. There is no need for legislation to implement this because current ministerial discretion allows for it. Legislating for it would be a lengthy process, although it comes with benefits as legislation is always preferred to policy. Currently we do not have immigration legislation in this country. The Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill has failed a number of times to be implemented. Proposing this on a legislative footing without having overall structural legislation would complicate the issue, particularly when we are under time constraints, as we have said. An administrative scheme would make life easier for the undocumented living here.