Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I agree with Senator Morrissey. I explained to the House on Committee Stage that in order for an interview to be conducted, a series of events must happen: first, the officer conducting the interview must arrange, in many cases, for an interpreter to be present; second, in most cases, lawyers, or at any rate one lawyer, may be in attendance; and third, the would-be asylum seeker will have to be satisfied that someone has read his or her file in advance and is familiar with its contents.