James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their comments and I appreciate why this amendment is being sought. It is important to emphasise that the State protects the rights of all of those who come into the State, whether they have been smuggled or not, and those rights arise under the Constitution as well as the 1951 convention, the ECHR and other instruments. Both the ECHR and the 1951 convention are given effect across the breadth of our law. In respect of those seeking asylum, this is most notable in the International Protection Act 2015. The principle of non-refoulementis included in sections 50 and 50A of the Act. We believe that the instruments were given full effect already and in the circumstances, I cannot accept the amendment.