International Protection Bill 2026: Committee Stage
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Jim O'Callaghan (FF), Dublin Bay South

I thank colleagues for their contributions. The determination of whether something is in the best interests of a child is carried out every day of the week by judges. It is also a determination that is carried out in advance by Tusla or other agencies which find themselves having to go to court. There are unquestionably occasions where people have to determine what is in the best interests of the child. We are aware that this provision only applies in respect of the screening process. It is a very short period of time. There will unquestionably be circumstances, as in the first section, where a child has arrived into Ireland with an adult who is another applicant and that applicant is not available. There are circumstances in such cases where it would be in the best interests of the child to be detained for a short period of time.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-18