Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raised the issue of statelessness previously and stressed that we must ensure adequate procedures are in place for the identification of stateless applicants as well as some means to clarify their status. It is a major issue on which many of the NGOs working in this area have been active. I know Migrants Rights Centre Ireland has done some work on the matter.

I agree in principle with Senator Ó Clochartaigh. As the IRC and the Immigrant Council of Ireland have said, there needs to be a procedure in place, perhaps underpinned by statute, to identify stateless applicants. I am not sure this Bill is the appropriate place to do so. As we have said, and as the Minister of State said earlier, this Bill specifically addresses one aspect of the much larger immigration law reform that is required. It was, as we know, at an advanced stage of preparation by the previous Government and then ultimately fell because there was such complexity surrounding some of the issues. This Bill very much deals with one aspect which, as we have said, is the need to establish a single and unified procedure for assessing protection applications. In particular, the Bill will deal with delay. We have all spoken about the fact that so many people have languished for so long in direct provision.

The issue of statelessness is one on which we need a longer and considered debate. We need to see some procedure put in place to identify stateless applicants and to regularise their status.