Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá ceist agam maidir leis an mBille um Inimirce, Cónaí agus Cosaint, the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill, which was introduced here at First Stage in 2010. It has been in committee since. Given that persons are stuck in these direct provision facilities, in some cases for 14 years, this delay is unacceptable.

Last month, the chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, Ms Emily Logan, expressed concern at a committee meeting about the inordinate delay attached to the Bill, which has very real human consequences. I visited the direct provision facility at Mosney in County Louth where some people have been living for up to ten years. Some children born in the facility are still there eight or nine years later. Given that the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, said he would republish the Bill during his term of office, could the Taoiseach explain in the first instance the reason for the delay, and when the Bill will come back before the Dáil?

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