Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

The effect of amendment No. 7 would be to neuter the Bill. It would leave it open to any carrier complicit with the people he or she was carrying to say that they were asylum seekers. That is not the intent of the Bill. Many of the amendments would neuter the Bill. I do not know if that is the intention of the Labour Party or not but if it is, it should be stated up front. There is no country that I know of that has an absolutely open door policy and I do not think we should have one either.

The Minister of State has pointed out that in co-operation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights we have a sensible and co-ordinated approach. Is the Labour Party suggesting an open door policy? Such a policy could have enormous effects on employment. We are a small country with a small population. We could not absorb the numbers. In co-operation with other states we have a responsibility to play our part. These amendments would alter the intent of the Bill.