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

Again, the section aligns Ireland with the current regulations. It would be very difficult to create or provide for a dual system where there is one period of detention for cases transferring to EU member states and a different one for those transferring to the UK. I get the Senator's point that nowhere in Ireland is 12 hours away, even from the tip to the bottom of the country. However, if one is getting to a port or airport and a flight or something is delayed or rescheduled, this measure takes into account that one may have already have had a long journey. That is one element of it. The other element of it is that we are trying to replicate what is there and work with the system that currently exists in EU member states. It would be very difficult for us to have a dual system with one timeframe for one set of people and a different timeframe for those going to the UK.