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

I will respond to the comments by the Minister. He has indicated his intention to bring substantial new amendments on Report Stage, covering such important topics as permissions to enter or remain and questions of detention, monitoring and data sharing. These are very substantive. They are not minor or technical amendments but rather substantive, core topics. We have just been told that they will be introduced as Report Stage amendments, but of course in the Seanad that means the very last Stage, effectively. By its nature, that could end up precluding proper scrutiny. I have to note that in terms of parliamentary practice, we have had 70 pages of amendments from the Government added on Committee Stage. They came at 5 p.m. on a Friday, after the deadline for us to submit amendments was 11 a.m. that day. This effectively precluded proper scrutiny. Now we have just been told that more amendments will be added on Report Stage. I would like clarity and confirmation, first of all, that any proposed Report Stage amendments will be published a number of days in advance to allow for a number of days for the amendment of these proposed Report Stage amendments. I would suggest that the Bill should not move forward to Report Stage until after these have been properly shared and circulated and given a substantial number of days. With respect, Saturdays and Sundays do not count. To get it on a Friday and be told that we can get our amendments in first thing on a Monday effectively precluded Senators from engaging with the 70 pages of Government amendments on Committee Stage. I am very concerned that we seem to be being teed up for a repeat of that on Report Stage and I want to signal right now that I believe it is unacceptable. There has to be a proper timeframe and some modicum of respect for parliamentary oversight and proper parliamentary scrutiny brought back into this process.

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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