Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

An immigration Bill is on the clár, as it were. So many amendments were tabled to the Bill that it was considered better to withdraw it and draft a new Bill, namely, the international protection Bill. I have a note on it in respect of the commitment to legislate to reduce the length of time for asylum seekers must spend time in the direct provision system, through the establishment of a single applications procedure to be introduced by way of a protection Bill. Work is under way on it, taking into account all of the amendments that were tabled on the immigration Bill previously.

We must also consider the specialist group chaired by Mr. Justice Bryan MacMahon, which is dealing with representatives from all of the organisations concerned with immigration and asylum seekers. It is considering what should apply in the Bill and in the direct provision facilities, which is a subject of interest and focus for the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, and the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald. I will provide an update to Deputy Adams on the work that is proceeding in terms of the drafting of the protection Bill. We must await the report of Mr. Justice MacMahon, taking into account the views of all the organisations on how the situation could be improved and expedited. The central issue is that it should not take ten years to decide whether an applicant is entitled to asylum.

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