Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the date on which he will publish the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill; if it will contain a single determination procedure, long-term residence status as well as procedures for the registration of non-Irish national minors under 16. [11552/13]

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 National Recovery, 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. This and the other aspects of the Bill raised by the Deputy are among those to which we are giving detailed consideration at this time, including in conjunction with the Offices of the Attorney General and of Parliamentary Counsel.

As I have outlined previously to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence, several hundred amendments to the Bill are anticipated, the majority of a technical nature. 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 those being raised by the Deputy on this occasion. This proposition was broadly welcomed by the joint committee. Work on the Bill continues on that basis while taking account of any intervening matters of relevance such as decisions 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 the Government for approval and publication later this year.