Ms Fiona Finn:

It is a clear contradiction, given that the State has introduced IHAP, which is a limited, but more expanded, programme. It allows for extended family members and has an additional category whereby one can apply for a vulnerable family member. There is no guidance on that. On the one hand, the State is talking about uncontrollable floodgates while, on the other, it is delivering two schemes that, albeit welcome, are temporary and ad hoc. That tends to be the problem with how policy is developed in the immigration and protection context - it is ad hocand piecemeal. The Bill brings a level of certainty for the State and refugees who are seeking to be reunited with family members.

From our understanding, one of the key drivers behind introducing IHAP was the need to fulfil the 4,000 refugees quota that we had committed to under the EU resettlement and relocation programme. It was one of the mechanisms used to do that. It was not born out of a need to support the refugees then living in Ireland.