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

I will speak to the three amendments together. Senator Higgins has touched on a number of points in her comments. We have quite a clearly set out process for people going through the international protection application process. It is very distressing and can be very difficult for people to get a letter saying they have a number of days to make services aware of what they intend to do. After that, there is another opportunity for individuals to make their case. At every stage it is about working with and supporting these individuals, and gardaí try to do that. In my own experience of working with individuals in my constituency and trying to help individuals who have been here a number of years, they go through the process and at every stage they have engaged with and worked with the Garda. It has been a positive process.

As Senator Ward noted, this section is about where there is a significant risk and one has to cover everything from individuals who were engaging regularly with the Garda as they go through the process to people who were not, and where there are serious issues and concerns. Some of the proposed amendments would create a dual system of arrests. As I keep saying, the premise of this Bill is to try to mirror the system we currently have and replicate it inasmuch as possible, in order that we do not have a huge difference at the end of December if there is not a deal in place. It would make it a much more complex system if we had a dual system of arrests and is counter to the spirit of the Bill. I accept where the Senator is coming from with these points but it is important to say that in my own experience, the Garda has always worked with, and tried to support, anybody going through this very difficult process. We need to encourage that to continue in that spirit but we must also allow for much more difficult cases with challenging issues and people who pose a challenge or risk.