Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will speak to the three amendments together and re-stress that we are trying to mirror what we currently have. I take the points that the Senators are making and apologise for not being able to take the Commencement matter to which the Senator referred. I hope to be in the House next week for the wider debate on the Private Members' Bill that has been put down. We are following EU regulations as they are set out and, as the Senator says, perhaps that requires a wider conversation at home or at European level to take into account some of the points being made.

All of the relevant matters have been taken into consideration in the section that amendment No. 9 proposes to amend. The rules for determining whether a country is a safe country are laid down in the 2005 procedures directive. The section that the Senators are proposing to amend through amendment No. 10 contains clear principles for the non-refoulementconsiderations that have been defined in international and European law. We are trying to align ourselves with EU regulations and law and, at the same time, mirror what was there previously.

We deem amendment No. 11 unnecessary. If a person wishes to raise new or emerging circumstances in their case, including circumstances relating to the country to which they are to be returned, they can do so under certain provisions contained within the Bill. That facility already exits so I am not sure if amendment No. 11 is necessary. On the other amendments, we are following EU regulations and guidance, trying to mirror what currently exists with the UK and make sure that we match the legislation they are going to introduce on the other side. I take the points that the Senator is making but perhaps it is a matter for another conversation or debate at a later stage.