Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

If this severe proposal is enacted, the Minister will ethnically cleanse the country. The conferral of powers to carry out such functions on immigration officers must be questioned. Surely this is work for the Garda. Will the Minister explain the reason they are being conferred on immigration officers?

Section 5(3)(a) allows for people to be detained for a period of up to eight weeks prior to their removal from the State. The detention of innocent civilians without trial for such a period is contrary to any basic human rights and the Constitution. I ask the Minister to address this. It is excessive and could surely be reduced to a maximum of two weeks.

We are dealing with this Stage in a shabby manner. The debate should take the format of the Second Stage of a new Bill. If the Minister was unable to introduce these amendments at an earlier time, he should have incorporated them in new legislation. Too much has been added at the last minute, which is an unacceptable way of dealing with legislation.