Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-18
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Ivana Bacik (LAB), Dublin Bay South

The Labour Party has articulated a very clear migration policy of our own. It is, of course, fair, effective and rules based, but it also has room for humanity and compassion. It is interesting to hear the Minister's emphasis on a rules-based system because at the same meeting yesterday in the White House, the Taoiseach also raised with President Trump the need for a special deal, a legal pathway with the US for Irish immigrants. Certainly, it is very welcome to see the Taoiseach making reference to people from Ireland who are living in the US and who are in fear of ICE and the deportations being pursued by Trump, but the policy is very different to that being pursued here in Ireland. This week, the International Protection Bill, which the Minister has initiated, is on Committee Stage in the Seanad. There are hundreds of amendments tabled. In the Dáil, only amendments as far as section 22 out of 238 in Bill were reached. Draconian changes on family reunification were not debated or scrutinised at all before the guillotine was brought down. I could list dozens of other issues in the Bill. We did, as did other Opposition parties.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:45+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-18