Mark Dearey (Green Party)

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Law Reform to come before the House to update Senators on the position on the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill which remains a long way from completion. Although not by any means the complete item, the legislation addresses in a useful manner a number of issues relating to asylum applications and seeks to streamline the asylum appeals process to ensure asylum seekers will not be required to wait five, six or seven years for adjudication of their appeals. While the initial response to asylum applications is usually provided within a reasonable period, the appeals process lasts forever and a day. The various bases for appeal must be addressed in a single adjudication. This would bring an end to the current position where appellants must wait for many years to have their cases adjudicated.

This issue has acquired particular importance. My local radio station has been doing the community a service in recent days by bringing to public attention the plight of many asylum seekers who have been in this country for many years and built reasonably stable lives for themselves. The significant cost of the direct provision service is causing a great deal of anger and hostility among members of the general public. In straitened times, with money tight, people are, perhaps unwittingly, straying into using language and voicing opinions which have the potential to turn nasty and become racist in character. One hears expressions of concern and fear, but we need to nip the problem in the bud and bring to an end a worrying public dialogue. This could be achieved by placing on the Statute Book legislation to establish a proper appeals process for asylum seekers.