Ms Fiona Finn:

I want to add to Ms Ward's point. When the issue arose in the working group, many of the NGOs in the group wanted to obligate the HSE to seek legal advice, but this got watered down in the International Protection Act. Seeking legal advice forms one part of the many agencies they may consult. It should be an obligation and it would form part of looking at early legal advice and front-loading legal advice. A critical point is that if a child turns 18 and then goes through the asylum process and gets permission at or after the age of 18, he or she loses all rights to family reunification under the new Act. There is no possibility he or she can apply for parents or siblings to come in.