I move amendment No. 24: In page 97, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following: “(6) The Minister shall, every 12 months, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining any changes to the list of safe third countries and provide rationale for any such changes made.” The amendment proposes that the Minister produce a report every 12 months on the designation of safe third countries. It is yet another expression of my concern over how that designation is working. We need to bear in mind that circu…

I know the Minister is probably not minded to accept amendments today given the haste and focus of the Brexit Bill. However, it would be constructive if we could have such engagement. I ask the Minister to consider it. Of course, she has the prerogative to publish such a report or to create such a point for engagement for Members who are concerned and have an interest in these areas. Perhaps she might find another way to do it even if she is not in a position to accept the amendment.

Or without legislation.

I withdraw the amendment in the context of trying to find another way, perhaps outside legislation, to progress this mechanism.

I move amendment No. 25: In page 104, after line 20, to insert the following: "Review of operation of Act 135 . (1) (a) The Minister for Foreign Affairs shall, not later than six months after the commencement of any part of this Act, carry out a review of the operation of this Act. (b) The Minister for Health shall, not later than six months after the commencement of any section in Part 2 or 3 , carry out a review of the operation of those sections. (c) The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment shall, not l…

In the context of the Minister’s commitment to engage with the formal process of post-enactment scrutiny but also to other and supplementary engagement because my concern is in respect of orders and regulations and not simply the letter of the Act itself, I am happy to withdraw my amendment in the context of constructive engagement.

Very good wording has been put forward by Senator Boyhan and others and I will be happy to support the amendment. I have tabled a number of amendments that seek to address the same fundamental issues in two or three lines. I am perhaps leaving a little more of the original text intact. The core point stands. A local development plan is not just a planning application, a development on an individual street or one building. These plans are about the future of the places where people live around the country. Local dev…

Will the Minister of State clarify the matter concerning the word "or"?

I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, lines 1 to 3, to delete all words from and including “(which” in line 1 down to and including “meeting)” in line 3 and substitute “which shall include public meetings online and in person”.

I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, lines 1 to 3, to delete all words from and including "(which" in line 1 down to and including "meeting)" in line 3 and substitute "(which shall include public meetings, online and also in person except where the holding of a meeting in person may be detrimental to public health)".

I move amendment No. 4: In page 4, lines 1 to 3, to delete all words from and including "(which" in line 1 down to and including "meeting)" in line 3 and substitute "(which shall include public meetings online and, except in an emergency period, also in person)".

I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, line 3, after “submissions” to insert “online and”.

I move amendment No. 6: In page 4, line 5, after "and" to insert "shall ensure that where a member of the public chooses to make a submission in writing online they are not subject to a limitation in terms of length of submission, and ".

Amendment No. 6 is specifying where a member of the public is making a submission in writing. I have withdrawn amendment No. 5. I have accepted the valid point of the Minister of State on that. Sometimes when we have online submissions, we have constrained spaces in which people are asked to contribute. I want to ensure that people are not limited. We talk about this at a strategic level. Members of the public have strategic ideas and strategic input. It is important that they would be able to provide input at the …

On my amendment, if more engagement is better, I think the Minister needs to consider changing "or" to "and", or instead, he could add in "or both". This is not about the intent of anybody. I know that people are passionate about these issues and want to meet, but the law of unintended effects could be present here. I am concerned that there is an inadvertent mistake in the language in the Bill. There will be opportunities to address the issue in the Dáil, so I urge the Minister of State to address it, because I am…

I move amendment No. 7: In page 4, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “(iii) shall take active steps to support equality of access to participation in public consultation, in relation to a proposed development plan, with particular regard to obligations under the Public Duty on Equality and Human Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability and the Aarhus Convention.”.

Amendments Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, relate to the fact that it is not just a matter that there should be consultation with a member of the public or that there should be the opportunity for submissions in writing to be made, but it is instead to insert a clause, of which there are three different versions, that proactively encourages members of the public to engage. We have heard descriptions of good practice from the Minister of State, and these amendments are to ensure that this good practice is embedded. Since so…

Will the Minister of State make a statement on the recent and ongoing issuing of deportation orders and letters to asylum seekers requesting that they leave the country voluntarily or be threatened with deportation? Will he make that statement in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic? Our obligations in terms of international protection have never been as important as they are now given the global emergency that is happening. We know that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, the International Organiz…

I strongly suggest that the Department return to the position of only issuing positive decisions during this period. Those who might be required to appeal cannot engage with the community or seek support if people cannot visit households. I am aware that people have been deeply distressed to have friends who have received deportation orders and who have not been able to engage with or see how they might be able to support them. I suggest strongly to the Minister of State that he formally return to the policy of onl…

I move amendment No. 4: In page 4, lines 1 and 2, to delete “(which may include the holding of a public meeting)” and substitute “(which shall include public meetings online and in person)”.