International Protection Bill 2026: Committee Stage
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Verona Murphy (CC), Wexford

I am just about to read the reason. I thank the Deputy. Amendment No. 9 would insert a new definition for "legal counselling", a term used later in the Bill. This definition would provide that such services would be provided to persons free of charge irrespective of a person's ability to secure legal services by their own means. Amendment No. 47 in the name of Deputy Kelly forms a composite proposal with amendment No. 9, inserting a reference to these "legal counselling" services into section 26 of the Bill. Such "free" legal services would have to be provided at the expense of the State. It needs to be understood that the amendments must be ruled out of order in accordance with Standing Order 219(3) as they have the potential to impose a charge on the Revenue. Deputy Kelly has stated that the "free of charge" reference he used was taken from a Government regulation, but Government regulations are not subject to Standing Orders, under which the Bills Office decides whether amendments are in order.

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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