International Protection Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-25
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Eileen Flynn (IND), Administrative Panel

I will follow on from Senators Ruane and Higgins. This is all related. I am not going to get time to come back in because the debate has to finish by 6 p.m. The Civil Engagement Group's amendments are based on human rights and dignity. The Minister said it was as if Senator Higgins thought there was a movement or campaign to torture refugees. Maybe he used another term but it was something like that. I do not believe that to be the case. For us, the members of the Civil Engagement Group, this is about human rights and equality. Nobody on the street can search me or the Minister. Only a garda can do that. Why is it acceptable for people working in direct provision centres to search another human being? The Minister has not even dealt with that part of the Bill. That takes away a person's dignity, no matter what. With this Bill, today is a sad day for human rights and equality in this country. I say, from the bottom of my heart, that this is a Bill to be ashamed of.
The Minister put words into the mouths of Members of the Opposition earlier and I have to address it. It is part of the amendment. He said we might as well get rid of the borders. We are not crazy and we do not think we should not have legislation on refugees. What we are looking for is basic human rights and equality. The Department is not providing that. I apologise as I do not want to attack the Minister personally; he is doing his job.
The Department of justice is letting down thousands of children in direct provision. Maybe it was because I was born and reared on a halting site but I know exactly what it is like to be that child put on the side of the road and told, "You are not welcome here". I was that child who was put out of places and did not get the same facilities as children from civil society. We will finish talking about this legislation in the next five or ten minutes. This Bill is regrettable. When it comes to human rights and equality, this is probably one of the worst days I have been in here. If the Minister for justice can defend this Bill and say he is giving people more human rights and equality, shame on the Department of justice. That is all I will say.

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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