International Protection Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed) Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-19 ============================================================ Nicole Ryan (SF), Administrative Panel I will deal with amendment No. 100 and amendments Nos. 104 to 114, inclusive. Amendment No. 100 addresses an important issue about the international protection system and the timely appointment of a representative for unaccompanied minors. Unaccompanied minors are among the most vulnerable individuals in the system. They arrive into the State without the support of a parent or a guardian and may have experienced trauma, displacement and significant instability before reaching Ireland. In those circumstances, the role of the representative is not optional but essential. A representative ensures that the child's rights are protected, that they are supported through what is a complex and unfamiliar system and process, and that decisions made in relation to their case are informed by the child's best interests. This amendment recognises that timing actually matters. Delays in appointing a representative can leave a child in a position of uncertainty and vulnerability at the very earliest stages of their interaction with the system, precisely where support is needed the most. This amendment introduces a clear and responsible requirement. It provides that where a notification is made in respect of an unaccompanied minor, a representative must be appointed within three working days. It is not an excessive or burdensome requirement; it is just a basic safeguard. This amendment recognises that if we are serious about protecting children, early intervention has to be a priority and, in the interim period, the competent authority must take all the necessary measures to safeguard the welfare and best interests of the child. In other words, the child must not be left without protection at any stage. Importantly, the amendment makes clear that any failure to meet the three-day timeline does not prejudice the rights of the child. That is a crucial safeguard. A child should never suffer a disadvantage because of delays or failures within the system and this amendment is about setting that clear standard. On amendment No. 104, I understand the Minister is bringing in his own amendment in relation to the number of minors per representative. That is fine. Amendment No. 107 focuses on strengthening the safeguards around those appointed to act as representatives for unaccompanied minors within the international protection system. At the core, the amendment is about ensuring individuals entrusted with supporting some of the most vulnerable children in our system are properly trained, suitable for the role and held to appropriate standards. We have already discussed the importance of appointing representatives for unaccompanied minors and doing so in a timely manner. Appointing them is not enough, however - we must also ensure those individuals are equipped to carry out the role effectively and, most importantly, safely. The amendment introduces two very specific requirements. First, it provides that representative organisations must ensure that individuals appointed as representatives receive regular training for the performance of their duties. That training is essential. Representing an unaccompanied minor is not a straightforward administrative role. It requires an understanding of child protection, trauma-informed practices, cultural sensitivities and the complexity of the international protection process. Without proper training, there is a real risk that individuals may not be fully equipped to support a child or to identify potential safeguarding concerns. Regular training ensures the representative remains up to date, competent and capable of carrying out their responsibilities. Second, the amendment provides that no individual should be appointed as a provisional representative or as a representative where the person has a record of criminal offences concerning children. That is a fundamental safeguard. If we are placing children into a system where they must rely on appointed representatives to support and advocate for them, we must be certain those individuals are suitable for that role. Amendment No. 112 relates to minimum standards for representatives. It seeks to ensure those appointed to represent these unaccompanied minors meet clear, robust and consistent minimum standards. We have spoken about the representation of children within the international protection system, but representation is only as effective as the person who is providing it. When a child arrives in the State alone, the individual appointed to represent them plays a critical role not just as a procedure but in safeguarding their welfare and advocating for their best interests. This amendment ensures those representatives are properly vetted, trained and qualified to carry out the role. It requires Garda vetting in line with existing legislation and it requires the representative to have the necessary qualifications and experience to effectively represent the interests of an unaccompanied minor. These are not excessive requirements; they are just basic safeguards. We would expect no less where individuals are working directly with vulnerable children. The amendment also makes clear that those standards apply regardless of any regulations made elsewhere. In other words, they are the baseline protection that cannot be diluted. If we are to ask children to place their trust in the State and in the individuals appointed to represent them, we must be able to stand over the quality and the integrity of these appointments. Equally, we must properly resource all of the other bodies that will potentially be representing minors, like Tusla, and have resourcing and accountability for the determining authority. I refer again to resourcing the Legal Aid Board properly and giving children the right to an interpreter and relevant representations to prevent any delays. This amendment ensures the screening and assessment procedures take into account the detection, protection and support needs of the child. Our final amendment, No. 114, is around the appropriate caseloads of representatives. This is a very practical issue within the international system but one that has a direct and very real impact on the welfare of unaccompanied minors. It deals with the assignment of caseloads to representatives. We have already discussed the importance of ensuring unaccompanied minors are appointed a representative. As I have said, those representatives need to be trained properly and safeguards need to be put in place. Again, we must look at the principle that goes beyond just appointing a representative for them and consider how the system operates in practice. Even when all those elements are in place, the system will not function effectively if representatives are assigned workloads they simply cannot manage. The amendment provides that the Minister shall ensure the representatives are assigned caseloads that allow for the effective discharge of their functions. It also makes clear that a representative should not be assigned such a number of unaccompanied minors that it would undermine the welfare or the best interest of the child. The role of the representative is not a passive one - it involves engaging with the child, understanding their circumstances, supporting them through the process, advocating on their behalf and ensuring their rights are upheld. That requires time, attention and capacity. If a representative is responsible for too many children, that level of engagement simply cannot be maintained. When that happens, it is the child who suffers in the end. Their needs may not be fully identified, their voice may not be properly heard and safeguards may not be picked up on early enough. We have seen that in other cases in the public service. When caseloads are unmanageable, the quality of care and support inevitably declines. This amendment is about preventing that from happening. It ensures the system is not only structured correctly on paper, but is capable of functioning effectively in practice. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-19/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:45+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-03-19