Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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322. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the International Protection Bill 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44215/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the International Protection Bill 2015 which will be before both the Seanad and the Dáil this week. It is the Government's intention that the Bill be completed for enactment before the end of this year. The Scheme of the Bill, which was published by the Government last March, has also been considered for pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee of Justice, Defence and Equality, which issued an interim report in July.

The progress of the Bill before the Houses coincides in a very practical way with the progress being made in advancing the recommendations and findings of the Report of the Working Group on the Protection Process. The fundamental premise of the Working Group's deliberations was that the length of stay applicants have in Direct Provision is unacceptable. The Government, in addressing this matter, has introduced the International Protection Bill, called for by the Working Group, to have a new single application procedure which should ensure that delays are radically reduced, bringing certainty and timely decisions to those who qualify for international protection. In drafting the Bill, the Government was mindful of the specific recommendations of the Working Group which dealt with improvements in the protection process. This Bill properly reflects the intent of 26 of the Working Group recommendations and as such is the single biggest response by Government to date. The introduction of this Bill to bring Irish asylum application procedures in line with other European States as called for in the Report, is the single most important reform in this area.