Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

This Bill is definitely seeking to reduce the number of people seeking asylum here. While I respect what the Minister is trying to do, I am extremely concerned about the genuine people who wish to seek asylum and who will be denied that opportunity because of the Bill. I accept what the Minister said, namely, that he will introduce some measures to address the cases of people in exceptional circumstances. He should take into account the need to address such cases as quickly as possible, however, rather than putting them on the long finger. We have a responsibility to those who suffer persecution in their own countries, but the Bill will deny them the right to seek asylum here. We are abdicating our responsibility to assess such asylum applications and giving it to a carrier.