International Protection Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-25 ============================================================ Jim O'Callaghan (FF), Dublin Bay South I thank Senators Higgins and Ruane for their amendment. I will start with the specific wording of it. It states, "Facial image data maintained as part of a record of biometric data taken under this Chapter shall not be used as grounds for detention." There is no basis upon which the maintenance of data would be used as a grounds for detention. I will set out the procedure under the Bill. Sections 14 and 15 deal with Eurodac. When somebody comes to Ireland and claims international protection, we tell them that they have to go to a screening centre and, in advance of that, we require to take from them biometric data. This means their fingerprints and facial image data. It is a reasonable requirement on the part of the State that, if somebody is coming in claiming international protection, we take biometric data via fingerprinting as well as facial image technology - photographs - so that we have an image of their face. The reason this is being done is so that it can be put into Eurodac. The reason this legislation is going through and is to be operationalised by 12 June is because Ireland and other European countries have agreed that it is preferable and advantageous to be able to harmonise their resources and rules when it comes to the assessment of asylum applications. It is completely relevant to Ireland in determining whether or not a person is entitled to asylum to know whether or not that person previously claimed asylum in another member state or, if they did not, whether there is data in that member state in respect of them. If their fingerprints indicate that a person who is applying for asylum in Ireland is the same person who applied in Austria previously and gave a different name, that is extremely important. I note and hear the Senator's concern in respect of facial imaging data, but, in many respects, if we were having this discussion many years ago about fingerprints or DNA there would be concern about the accuracy of those two systems of identification. Facial imaging data is improving and increasing in terms of its quality and its ability to correctly identify people. Many of us use it for the purpose of getting on to our phones or for other provisions. It is an area where it is beneficial for the purpose of identification. We are talking about a different issue here from where people are going to be arrested or investigated because facial recognition technology has identified them as being involved in a criminal act or being at a previous location. This is different. There is a requirement to give the data, and the data is of benefit and of use to the State in identifying the person. In terms of the specific amendment, the biometric data taken shall not be used as grounds for detention. However, as Members are aware, if somebody does not agree to give their biometric data and refuses to go to a screening centre, they can be detained for the purpose of making sure that is complied with. It is a reasonable request from the State to try to identify who is coming into the country. The alternative to it is that we just accept the identity that a person is giving and that is not a procedure that is going to result in a coherent asylum process. Senator Higgins also raised the issue about the taking of biometric data from children. If Members look at section 15 (7) , it says that biometric data from a minor can only be taken in the presence of an adult family member of the minor or, where the minor is an unaccompanied minor, a provisional representative or a representative person, or an employee of, or a person appointed by, the Child and Family Agency, and data will not be taken from a child under six years of age. A person who is taking the biometric data of a minor shall, before the taking of the biometric data, explain the procedure for the taking of the data to the minor, take the biometric data in a child-friendly and child-sensitive manner, and, at the time of taking the biometric data, have completed appropriate training in relation to the taking of biometric data from minors. There are procedures clearly set out as to the circumstances when somebody over the age of six and under the age of 18 can have biometric data taken from them and how it should be performed. In terms of the data and the management of that data, that is set out in great detail in section 17 of the Bill in terms of the preservation and maintenance of the data. --- 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/2026-03-25/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:46+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-03-25