Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I am unhappy with the way this legislation has been dealt with by the Minister and the Government. The Minister is correct to point out that legislation is always changing. We are not criticising that but we are criticising the level of change to the original legislation and the speed with which those changes were made.

The changes limit the input of Members of the Oireachtas and interest groups on this issue. This legislation impacts badly on the role of Senators. We did a great deal of work on the Bill when it was initiated here. The debate took place over a number of days and amendments were made. Now a huge number of additional amendments have been made and we have had no input into that process and only a limited debate on them. The Human Rights Commission described the additional amendments as amounting to virtually new legislation. Various provisions were removed from the Bill in the Dáil, because of the work permits legislation, while 22 pages of amendments were added on Committee Stage with a further ten pages of amendments added on Report Stage yesterday. Again, the opportunity to debate them in the Dáil was limited. Various interest groups and bodies, such as the Irish Refugee Council, contributed to this legislation on Committee Stage in the Seanad but they had no opportunity to do so with regard to the new substantial amendments.

On a positive note, I welcome the fact that changes were made on foot of Labour Party proposals in the Seanad and the Dáil. The Minister criticised the Labour Party in various fora and accused it of somehow filibustering this legislation. He should acknowledge, however, that the Labour Party was most proactive in terms of trying to improve the legislation and acted in good faith. In accepting a number of our party's amendments in both Houses, the Minister acknowledged that fact but it should be acknowledged today too. The time limits for applications, for example, were extended on foot of my suggestion, even if they were not extended as much as I would have wished. The Labour Party raised the issue first in the Seanad.