Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh believes the fact that the President has called a meeting of the Council of State to discuss the International Protection Bill is a vindication of serious concerns raised during debates in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Speaking today the Galway West – South Mayo Senator says:
‘President Higgins has only convened one previous meeting of the Council of State to discuss legislation during his term of office. Therefore, if he sees a need to bring the Council of State together next week, he must have serious concerns about this piece of legislation which was rushed through the Oireachtas, where the government guillotined the debate.
‘Sinn Féin along with key stakeholders voiced serious concerns about this legislation from the outset. While we all welcome a single procedure for asylum applications that will deal with people in an efficient and timely way, we do not support a bill that is a step backwards in terms of the human rights of immigrants and asylum seekers.
‘It is baffling that the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and her Junior Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and their department have chosen to ignore the recommendations of the Government’s own Working Group on the Protection Process.
‘The Group made almost 170 recommendations and yet the bill pushed through the Seanad and Dáil by the Government takes, by the government’s own estimation, just 27 of these on board.
‘We were also alarmed that the democratic procedures required for effective scrutiny of legislation were ignored in the speed with which this bill was rushed through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
‘Absolutely no heed has been paid to the very grave concerns expressed by NGO’s such as the Irish Refugee Council, NASC, Doras Luimní, The Children’s Rights Alliance, Spirasi, and others about the bill.
‘At the time I stated that I believe this bill is not fit for purpose and is a rolling back of previous protections provided for in the Asylum Act of 1996.
‘A major concern is that the bill does not address the totally unacceptable and discredited Direct Provision system itself. It merely purports to attempt to shorten the time of incarceration.
‘It is not clear where the President sees particular issues with the bill, but the fact that the Council of State have been asked to convene to discuss it is an important development and if they highlight weaknesses in the bill that must be addressed that will send a very strong message to the government that it needs to be changed.
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Creideann Seanadóir Shinn Féin, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, go ndearbhaíonn cinneadh an Uachtaráin cruinniú de Chomhairle an Stáit an ghairm chun an Bhille Cosanta Idirnáisiúnta a mheas, go raibh an ceart ar fad ag an fhreasúra a bheith amhrasach ina leith fad is a bhí sé dhá phlé i dTithe an Oireachtais.
Ag labhairt dó inniu deir Seanadóir Ghaillimh Thiar – Maigh Eo theas:
‘Níl cruinniú den Chomhairle Stáit chun reachtaíocht a mheas glaoite ag an Uachtarán Uí Uiginn ach uair amháin cheana le linn a thréimhse Uachtaránachta. Caithfidh sé, dá bhrí sin go measann an Uachtarán go bhféadfadh deacrachtaí móra a bheith leis an mbille áirithe seo, a deifríodh tríd Thithe an Oireachtais agus deireadh tobann curtha ag an Rialtas leis an bplé, ós rud é go bhfuil cruinniú le gairm aige an tseachtain seo chugainn.
‘Léirigh Sinn Féin agus geallsealbhóirí thábhachtacha eile, imní an-mhór faoin reachtaíocht seo ó thús aimsire. Cé go bhfailtíonn muid roimh Próiséas Aonair Comhtháite chun deileáil go pointeáilte agus go tapaidh le h-iarratais tearmainn, níl aon ghlacadh againn le bille atá mar cheim mhór ar gcúl ar chearta daonna inimiricigh agus lucht iarrtha tearmann.
‘Tá sé ag dul ó mheabhar orm go bhfuil an tAire Frances Fitzgerald, an tAire Sóisearach Aodhán Ó Ríordáin agus an Roinn atá acu ag déanamh neamhaird iomlán ar mholtaí a rinne an Grúpa Oibre ar an bPróiséas Cosanta a bhunaigh siad féin.
‘Rinne an grúpa suas le 170 moladh agus dheifrigh an Rialtas an bhille seo, nach gcuireann dar lena léirmheas féin, ach 27 de na moltaí seo i bhfeidhm, tríd an tSeanad agus an Dáil.
‘Bhí an-imní orainn go raibh beag is fiú dhá dhéanamh de na próiséis daonlathacha a bhfuil gá leo chun mionscrúdú a dhéanamhar ar reachtaíocht, leis an luas a bhí ag an Rialtas ag brú an bhille seo tríd Tithe an Oireachtais.
‘Níor tugadh aird dá laghad ar an mbuairt ollmhór a léírigh eagrais neamh rialtasacha ar nós Comhairle na dTeifeach in Éirinn, NASC, Doras Luimní, Cónaidhm Cearta na bPáistí, Spirasi agus eile faoin mbille seo.
‘Ag an am dúirt mé gur mheas mé nach raibh an Bhille seo ‘Oiriúnach dá Fheidhm’ agus gur cúlú é ar chosaintí eile a chuirtear ar fáil in Acht na dTeifeach 1996.
‘Cúis mhór imní is ea nach ndéanann an bhille aon rud chun deireadh a chur leis an gcóras lochtach Soláthar Díreach a bhfuil an oiread míchlú tarraingthe aige. Ní mhaíonn an Rialtas ach go laghdófar an t-achar ama a mbeidh daoine i ngéibheann seachas an chóras a athrú, mar is gá.
‘Níl sé soiléir cé na ceisteanna go baileach atá le cíoradh ag an Uachtarán maidir leis an mbille, ach fiú go bhfuil cruinniú den Chomhairle Stáit tarraingthe aige, is céim suntasach an-féin é sin agus má léiríonn siad laigeachtaí sa bhille a gcaithfear aghaidh a thabhairt orthu in athuair, is lá maith oibre a bheidh ann agus is teachtaireacht laidir ann féin don Rialtas a bheidh ansin gur cheart an bhille a athrú’.
Speaking today the Galway West – South Mayo Senator says:
‘President Higgins has only convened one previous meeting of the Council of State to discuss legislation during his term of office. Therefore, if he sees a need to bring the Council of State together next week, he must have serious concerns about this piece of legislation which was rushed through the Oireachtas, where the government guillotined the debate.
‘Sinn Féin along with key stakeholders voiced serious concerns about this legislation from the outset. While we all welcome a single procedure for asylum applications that will deal with people in an efficient and timely way, we do not support a bill that is a step backwards in terms of the human rights of immigrants and asylum seekers.
‘It is baffling that the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and her Junior Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and their department have chosen to ignore the recommendations of the Government’s own Working Group on the Protection Process.
‘The Group made almost 170 recommendations and yet the bill pushed through the Seanad and Dáil by the Government takes, by the government’s own estimation, just 27 of these on board.
‘We were also alarmed that the democratic procedures required for effective scrutiny of legislation were ignored in the speed with which this bill was rushed through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
‘Absolutely no heed has been paid to the very grave concerns expressed by NGO’s such as the Irish Refugee Council, NASC, Doras Luimní, The Children’s Rights Alliance, Spirasi, and others about the bill.
‘At the time I stated that I believe this bill is not fit for purpose and is a rolling back of previous protections provided for in the Asylum Act of 1996.
‘A major concern is that the bill does not address the totally unacceptable and discredited Direct Provision system itself. It merely purports to attempt to shorten the time of incarceration.
‘It is not clear where the President sees particular issues with the bill, but the fact that the Council of State have been asked to convene to discuss it is an important development and if they highlight weaknesses in the bill that must be addressed that will send a very strong message to the government that it needs to be changed.
______________
Creideann Seanadóir Shinn Féin, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, go ndearbhaíonn cinneadh an Uachtaráin cruinniú de Chomhairle an Stáit an ghairm chun an Bhille Cosanta Idirnáisiúnta a mheas, go raibh an ceart ar fad ag an fhreasúra a bheith amhrasach ina leith fad is a bhí sé dhá phlé i dTithe an Oireachtais.
Ag labhairt dó inniu deir Seanadóir Ghaillimh Thiar – Maigh Eo theas:
‘Níl cruinniú den Chomhairle Stáit chun reachtaíocht a mheas glaoite ag an Uachtarán Uí Uiginn ach uair amháin cheana le linn a thréimhse Uachtaránachta. Caithfidh sé, dá bhrí sin go measann an Uachtarán go bhféadfadh deacrachtaí móra a bheith leis an mbille áirithe seo, a deifríodh tríd Thithe an Oireachtais agus deireadh tobann curtha ag an Rialtas leis an bplé, ós rud é go bhfuil cruinniú le gairm aige an tseachtain seo chugainn.
‘Léirigh Sinn Féin agus geallsealbhóirí thábhachtacha eile, imní an-mhór faoin reachtaíocht seo ó thús aimsire. Cé go bhfailtíonn muid roimh Próiséas Aonair Comhtháite chun deileáil go pointeáilte agus go tapaidh le h-iarratais tearmainn, níl aon ghlacadh againn le bille atá mar cheim mhór ar gcúl ar chearta daonna inimiricigh agus lucht iarrtha tearmann.
‘Tá sé ag dul ó mheabhar orm go bhfuil an tAire Frances Fitzgerald, an tAire Sóisearach Aodhán Ó Ríordáin agus an Roinn atá acu ag déanamh neamhaird iomlán ar mholtaí a rinne an Grúpa Oibre ar an bPróiséas Cosanta a bhunaigh siad féin.
‘Rinne an grúpa suas le 170 moladh agus dheifrigh an Rialtas an bhille seo, nach gcuireann dar lena léirmheas féin, ach 27 de na moltaí seo i bhfeidhm, tríd an tSeanad agus an Dáil.
‘Bhí an-imní orainn go raibh beag is fiú dhá dhéanamh de na próiséis daonlathacha a bhfuil gá leo chun mionscrúdú a dhéanamhar ar reachtaíocht, leis an luas a bhí ag an Rialtas ag brú an bhille seo tríd Tithe an Oireachtais.
‘Níor tugadh aird dá laghad ar an mbuairt ollmhór a léírigh eagrais neamh rialtasacha ar nós Comhairle na dTeifeach in Éirinn, NASC, Doras Luimní, Cónaidhm Cearta na bPáistí, Spirasi agus eile faoin mbille seo.
‘Ag an am dúirt mé gur mheas mé nach raibh an Bhille seo ‘Oiriúnach dá Fheidhm’ agus gur cúlú é ar chosaintí eile a chuirtear ar fáil in Acht na dTeifeach 1996.
‘Cúis mhór imní is ea nach ndéanann an bhille aon rud chun deireadh a chur leis an gcóras lochtach Soláthar Díreach a bhfuil an oiread míchlú tarraingthe aige. Ní mhaíonn an Rialtas ach go laghdófar an t-achar ama a mbeidh daoine i ngéibheann seachas an chóras a athrú, mar is gá.
‘Níl sé soiléir cé na ceisteanna go baileach atá le cíoradh ag an Uachtarán maidir leis an mbille, ach fiú go bhfuil cruinniú den Chomhairle Stáit tarraingthe aige, is céim suntasach an-féin é sin agus má léiríonn siad laigeachtaí sa bhille a gcaithfear aghaidh a thabhairt orthu in athuair, is lá maith oibre a bheidh ann agus is teachtaireacht laidir ann féin don Rialtas a bheidh ansin gur cheart an bhille a athrú’.
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