International Protection Bill 2026: Committee Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-18
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Michael McDowell (IND), National University of Ireland

Today? It did not get to me. I am just making that point. I am taken by surprise by that ruling. I do not understand why a commencement section is somehow out of order when it is specified that such a change should be made. I will not call a vote on the section, but I am very much taken aback by that ruling.
The Bill was guillotined through the Dáil, and we now find ourselves dealing with it in this House.
There are provisions in section 126 of the Bill that are an integral part of the border procedure aspects of the migration pact. Section 126 is part of the asylum border procedure. We have been told that this Bill is going to dramatically change and accelerate the circumstances in which asylum applications are dealt with. Unless Ireland is in a position to operate the border procedure, this Bill and our adherence to the pact are, by virtue of the common travel area, almost set at naught. I would like the Minister to explain to the House how the asylum border procedure will operate in Ireland and who will be caught by it. Is it somebody crossing the Border at Carrickarnon in County Louth? Is it somebody who appears in Dublin and claims asylum? When does the asylum border procedure actually become available to the Irish State?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:44+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-18