Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I have some experience of dealing with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform which regards every Irish citizen as a potential criminal, if not today, tomorrow. It is an extremely difficult body with which to deal. I am indicating this formally, as I have elsewhere. I urge the Minister to make the law exact, to give himself a period of eight weeks in order that he will have something with which to negotiate when legislation is introduced. The work permits section will give him chapter and verse in regard to the difficulties experienced in the past, unless they have been tidied up since. Given my experience over two decades, it is an impossible Department with which to deal in this area. If one reads the history by Dermot Keogh of the treatment of the Jews going back to the 1930s, the pattern has been ingrained. I urge the Minister to consider the Fine Gael amendment. Let it be enacted. When the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform introduces its legislation, the Minister will then have something with which to negotiate. Otherwise, there is nothing to stop that Department effectively giving people summary notice to leave the State. As the Minister is a senior Government Minister, the matter is left to his discretion. He is dealing with work permits. If the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform introduces legislation with a wider remit, it will have to come to the Minister or his successor to negotiate. I suspect the House might be disposed to reducing the number of weeks from eight should it be required. This would give the Minister some bargaining power. However, if he does not accept the amendment, he will have no such power and be shown no mercy in St. Stephen's Green.

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