Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the proposed timeline for the taking and completion of the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill, if his attention has been drawn to improvements in the UK and whether or not these new structures might be adopted in Ireland, his views on a combined immigration and protection tribunal system, and other measures that might reduce the significant legal costs incurred in this area as a percentage of total costs as reported in the Refugees Appeals Tribunal 2011 Annual Report. [6515/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Work on the details of the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2010 is ongoing at my Department pursuant to current Government policy which is committed, under the Programme for Government, to "introduce comprehensive reforms of the immigration, residency and asylum systems, which will include a statutory appeals system and set out rights and obligations in a transparent way". The Bill provides, inter alia, for the introduction of a single application procedure for the investigation of all grounds for protection and any other grounds presented by applicants seeking to remain in the State and provides, in Part 7, for a Protection Review Tribunal. At the same time, in keeping with the commitment given in the Programme for Government, consideration is being given to a statutory appeals system in the immigration area and the model applied will be that considered most appropriate to this jurisdiction, including by reference to legal costs as raised by the Deputy.

As I have outlined previously to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence, several hundred amendments to the Immigration Residence and Protection Bill are anticipated, the majority of a technical nature. On that occasion, I also expressed the considered view that instead of engaging in an extremely cumbersome process of tabling hundreds of amendments to the 2010 Bill it would be much more efficient to publish a new and enhanced text. Such an approach can incorporate the many anticipated amendments while addressing key outstanding issues, several of which have been of concern to Members, including that of a streamlined, single application procedure and that of an appropriate appeals procedure. This proposition was broadly welcomed by the Joint Committee. Work on the Bill continues, therefore, on that basis, including in cooperation with the Offices of Parliamentary Counsel and of the Attorney General while also taking account of any relevant rulings by the Courts. It remains my objective under this new approach, and mindful of our having to deal with the competing legislative demands of our EU/IMF/ECB Programme commitments, to be in a position to bring a revised Bill to Government for approval and publication later this year.