Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak to amendment No. 17. The Bill as it currently stands states that "where it appears" to an officer that a person seeking to make an application for international protection is under the age of 18 but the amendment allows for a person to self identify as being a person under 18 years of age. This is vitally important because unaccompanied minors have ended up and do end up in this State. Unfortunately we have a sad history of large numbers of unaccompanied minors in the asylum system going missing within this State, never to be heard from again. I also know of two cases in the direct provision centre in Donegal where 15 and 16 year old boys were forced to live in an adult centre by the Reception and Integration Agency because the agency deemed them to be over 18 even though they were not. This was pointed out to the agency. Bizarrely, the system actually allowed them to attend secondary school but would not accept that they were children. Are we going to have a continuation of this system? I would very much like to say that it is not the case but "where it appears" to an officer that a person is under 18 is not sufficient to ensure that such a person will be treated as a child. The principle of self identification is vitally important and should be the first principle when we are dealing with children who come into this State. A final determination on age can be made at a future date but the principle of self identification is vitally important.

Amendment No. 73 provides that the age assessment procedures would only be carried out as a last resort rather than as a matter of course. These procedures, some of which may be invasive, should not be carried out unless all other avenues, including interviews and attempts to gather documentary evidence have failed to establish an individual's age. This comes back to the best interests of the child principle. Unfortunately, I cannot stand here today and assert that the immigration system will ensure that unaccompanied children who end up in this State will actually be treated as children.

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