Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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679. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the way he can reconcile efforts to modify the procedures for subsidiary protection in view of the fact that they have appealed the judgement in the MM v Minister for Justice to the Supreme Court; the way the backlog can be cleared in view of this appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27317/13]

Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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689. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the details of new arrangements being made for the reform of processing subsidiary protection applications with a view to improving processing in the area of international protection; if there is a timeframe for the introduction of these new arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26782/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 689 together.

The necessary legislative provisions to implement the new arrangements for the determination of existing and future applications for subsidiary protection are in preparation, in conjunction with the Offices of the Attorney General. Once these legislative provisions have been completed, the new arrangements will be put into operation as soon as possible thereafter. Further information is available on the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) Website - www.inis.gov.ie - and this information will be updated as developments occur.

The High Court in the MM case was arrived at following a referral to the European Court of Justice. The legal advice to me was that this Judgment, which relates to an applicant's right to be heard in the context of an application for subsidiary protection, should be appealed to the Supreme Court and I have taken that advice on board. In the mean-time, and pending the determination of this appeal, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), in conjunction with the Offices of the Attorney General, is working on the development of a framework, legislative and administrative, under which existing and future applications for subsidiary protection will be determined. This framework will lay some of the foundations for what is proposed in the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill, which I hope to re-publish later this year, under which it is envisaged that applications for asylum, subsidiary protection and 'leave to remain' will be dealt with as a single procedure. As a result, Deputies can be satisfied that there is no conflict between the appeal lodged and the plans to revise the existing subsidiary protection procedures.

The legislative provisions referred to above are being given priority attention. Once the new arrangements are in place, steps will be taken to have all outstanding applications for subsidiary protection processed in a timely manner.