Derek McDowell (Labour)

I resent the Minister's comment that the amendment is vacuous because it is an important point. He is suggesting that only asylum seekers properly documented deserve to be allowed to land here in the first instance, which I cannot accept. He knows better than anyone that we have in place a very complex and expensive system for considering the applications of asylum seekers. It begins with the immigration officer and runs right through to the refugee tribunal. It is a very complex system which both Houses spent a lot of time debating and putting in place and is costing several hundred million euro per year. The Minister and Senator Mansergh are saying this measure applies only if asylum seekers or refugees are properly documented. I cannot accept that is the case because, as we know well, many asylum seekers are not properly documented and some are undocumented in the first instance, which is the central point. To suggest the amendment is vacuous is way over the top, to put it mildly.

On a much more frivolous note, I join the Minister in wishing his party leader well on her holiday in Cuba at the end of the month.