Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have been held up internationally on that basis. I am very glad the Government has moved on that and I pay tribute to the work done by the Minister previously as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on which Senator Conway and I had the pleasure of serving for some years. In that capacity, the Minister was very conscious to ensure the rights of persons here in direct provision and to ensure improvements to and reforms in our immigration system. I know the system is being made more efficient and more effective and we are seeing fewer incidents of the long delays we have seen in the past. That should also offer the Government a strong incentive not to oppose this Bill and work with us in bringing forward similar legislation because it clearly is a strong incentive to Government to ensure a fair, efficient and effective process whereby children will not languish in an uncertain legal situation for many years while asylum applications are being processed through a lengthy system.

I urge the Minister and colleagues on both sides of the House to support this important legislation.