Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have sympathy with what the Deputy has just said because that was my assumption in the past as well, namely, that the system erred by making the assumption that nobody coming here was telling the truth.

I watched a documentary recently where an individual whose job it was to assess these claims gleefully told the interviewer that he had sanctioned just two out of 600 applications for asylum status.

Part of the conversation around this Bill seems to come from the same place, from suspicion and an ungenerous spirit. Senators and Deputies have put forward amendments on the issue of children and unaccompanied minors, which is a particularly sensitive area. In regard to the first amendment in this group, if somebody arrives here and gives a date of birth that clearly identifies him or her as a minor, he or she has self-identified as a minor. The previous system, as envisaged, was that one officer would make a determination on that application. Now, as a result of amendments that have been submitted, the determination is that two officers must make a determination. If one officer makes a determination, the second officer must corroborate it. If there is any doubt and if somebody is clearly not a minor, that may be evident. If there is any doubt - for cultural or other reasons - the person is not a minor, the Child and Family Agency becomes involved. Therefore, we now have a double lock system and an external independent agency that will be involved in the process. Previously, one individual had all the power. Now this has changed and two officers must collaborate on the opinion and the Child and Family Agency may then be involved in copper-fastening the decision.

Notwithstanding what I said previously about the perception of an unsympathetic system, we must remember that asylum is a sacred status and the UNHCR has constantly reaffirmed this. We undermine that sacred status if we do not ensure those who acquire this status meet the international criteria, which is why we like to ensure these checks and balances are in the system.

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