David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senators across the House for the welcome. I recognise the passion, zeal and research that has gone into this debate. It has been a very good debate so far. I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the House and respond on behalf of the Government to the Bill. Unfortunately, due to other commitments the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality could not be here today, and she sends her apologies.

I am grateful to the Leader of the House for his amendment, which will ensure that there will be no wide-ranging unintended consequences and allow time for due consideration to be given to the important matters the Bill seeks to address. Senator Clifford-Lee made the point that there was a lacuna between the time of the election and when the Government was formed, and that is noted. I have been four weeks in the job and have visited about eight reception centres so far to meet the people living in them and hear what they have to say. I have also met people in their homes who have been granted refugee status and have left reception centres to see how they are getting on. I want to continue doing that. I intend to do my best to visit all reception centres in the foreseeable future.

At the outset, I want to thank Senator Norris for outlining the objective of the Bill and the rationale for reintroducing it at this time. It seeks to address the position of persons who entered the State's international protection system and who, after four years, are awaiting a final decision on the request to remain in the State. This Bill was previously discussed, as Senators pointed out, in 2014. In line with the commitments given during that debate, I can report significant developments on the matters raised in the Bill. Some of these have been substantially addressed in the intervening years and have significantly altered the context in which the Bill will operate today.

Before I get into the specifics of the Bill, I want to set out for the House the context of the amendment that seeks to allow the necessary time to carefully consider the wider impact of any legal changes and its impact on the evolving scenario between Ireland and the UK arising from the decision of the UK to leave the European Union. In an ever-changing scenario, it is vital that there are no serious unintended consequences arising from the reintroduction of the unchanged Bill at this time.

We intend to carefully examine the provisions as set out by the Leader to ensure that, in accordance with national policy, changes are not implemented that would impact on the continuation of the common travel area, thus ensuring that Ireland's negotiating position with the UK on the common travel area is not compromised in upcoming negotiations following the outcome of its referendum on leaving the European Union. A similar situation arises in regard to any negotiations with the European Union on the future of the common travel area.

In public policy terms, it is of the most profound national importance that we do not create wider differences for the future of the common travel area that could have far-reaching implications. As we know the situation is very new; the decision was only made last week. Everyone is still wrestling with the implications. As someone said, we are dealing with unknown unknowns.