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

Yes but I believe this is relevant. The Minister is entitled to apply the border procedure in the circumstances set out in subsection 2 of that section. They are the only circumstances in which it can be done. It seems to me that with the exception of paragraph (a), paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) are not really relevant to the claims made by the Government that this is going to massively speed up the investigation and decision-making process because the asylum border procedure can only take place following an application made at an external border crossing point or in a transit zone. The Minister has gone on record to say that the great majority of asylum applications are made by people who have transited into the State via the United Kingdom. What is an external border crossing? Who are these people who are to be caught by Chapter 6 of the Bill?
We are being told that this is urgent and that Ireland has to do this by 12 June but this is completely unworkable if it does not apply to people who turn up in Dublin, having availed of the common travel area to get in here. I am asking the Minister to explain to whom the asylum order procedure and the 12-week limit on determining asylum applications, as provided for in Chapter 6, is going to apply. Is it going to somebody who arrives at Carrickarnon where there used to be a border post and is foolish enough to apply in that place for asylum or is this entirely illusory?
Is the public being fed a completely distorted view that this legislation somehow speeds up the asylum procedure when, in fact, the speeded-up process, under Chapter 6, will not apply to people who cross the Border, come to Dublin and ask for asylum in Dublin? Is my understanding correct or incorrect on that? This goes to the heart of this Bill. If it is the case that the people have been told, as they have been, that the migration pact gives this State the opportunity to dramatically speed up the treatment of asylum applications and that there will be a 12-week limit - we have not even talked about judicial review - and if the Minister is not in a position to tell this House that the great majority of asylum applicants will not be capable of being dealt with under it because they will not have made an application at a Border crossing point, then, while the urgency of this is being spun as a reason to rush it through, the reality is that the Irish people have been sold a pup.

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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