The Minister of State started her response by saying this is a priority for the Government. I would hate to see it if it were not a priority for the Government. Some 550 children have been waiting over six months for an assessment of need in the two small counties, population-wise, of Cavan and Monaghan. That is 550 times that the members of Government have broken the law. They are obliged under the Disability Act 2005 to ensure that children receive an assessment of need within six months. Imagine that. We have a …

Regardless of what the Minister of State says changes to legislation will do, it will be of no comfort whatsoever to those people who are watching the Government break the law as it currently is. I asked her a specific question in respect of Cavan and Monaghan. How many children last year actually received an assessment of need within the legal time limit of six months? I will ask that question again.

How many last year?

I thank the Minister for State for that. How many children last year in Cavan and Monaghan actually got their assessment of need within six months?

I have a certain amount of sympathy for the Minister of State. Clearly, the senior Minister could not be bothered to be here to participate in this debate, despite having had three weeks' notice. Not only did he send the Minister of State in but he sent him in to deliver a speech that completely misses the point, as does the Government's amendment. The amendment states that the objectives of the Bill have been comprehensively addressed and then refers to policy frameworks, Food Vision 2030, the CAP strategic plan a…

Can I speak to the section?

We have a long track ahead of us. I want to put on the record that this is not how we should be dealing with this legislation. The Minister has described it as the most substantial piece of immigration legislation this House has dealt with in many years. The truth is that it is being rushed. It is being rushed not because it is emergency legislation. If it is an emergency, it is no more an emergency today than it was three or four years ago. It is because the Minister and the parties of Government have locked us in…

We have no way of scrutinising a number of the amendments, particularly the amendment I tabled on section 1, which we are discussing now. I would have thought that amendment No. 1 was eminently sensible. I would have hoped that the Minister was willing to put forward a stipulation that would have stated the Bill would not come into operation until he can assure the House that the Department has the capacity to bring it into operation, and that administrative, operational and staffing arrangements have been put in p…

We are dealing with section 1 and it is important. It should not be in some respects, because section 1 includes in many respects standard clauses that state that the Act shall come into operation on the day or days as the Minister may appoint by order, and deals with the power to introduce sanctions. It is important in respect of this legislation because I have serious concerns about us passing a piece of legislation that I do not believe the Department or the agencies tasked with responsibilities have the ability…

I am not suggesting the Minister does but the difficult is that the Bills Office was under so much time pressure that by the time it informed me of that, there was not any time for me to ask any questions or seek any clarifications, as should have been the case. I mentioned on Second Stage that I fully believe this Bill will not be enacted a full year before provisions of it are challenged legally on the basis that there will be problems with the legislation, and one of the reasons there will be problems is that we…

Is the Minister not answering the questions I put in respect of the resources he will put in place to implement the legislation? It is a fundamental question. I do not know how we can even proceed without those questions being answered.

Just to say-----

On section 1, this is fundamental to the discussion that we had. I do not think there is any suggestion that Members should be rushed to dealing with a section as important as dealing with individual amendments. The legislation will give the Minister the power to appoint by order the day on which this will come into place in terms of schedules. Can the Minister give this House any indication as to when he expects to make those orders?

They are to section 2. We are dealing with section 1.

No.

I move amendment No. 2: In page 16, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “Sovereignty of the State in Matters of International Protection 2. (1) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as limiting the sovereign authority of the State, exercised through the Oireachtas, to determine policy in respect of immigration and international protection. (2) No provision of this Act shall be interpreted as delegating such authority to any external body or institution without the express approval of the Oireachtas b…

Earlier, the Minister spoke about the democratic process and how the EU migration and asylum pact was democratically voted through by the Houses of the Oireachtas and, therefore, there should be no question of it or the implications for Irish sovereignty. To be clear, when I say, “Irish sovereignty”, I mean the ability of the Irish Government to enact legislation relating to immigration, particularly international protection, in this State. I make no apologies for Sinn Féin’s position that we oppose, and will conti…

I do not know if people do not hear, do not understand or refuse to recognise what has been said. I would argue that Sinn Féin is probably the only party represented in this House that has accepted the will of the people in every referendum. The parties of Government did not accept the will of the people in respect of the first Nice and Lisbon treaty referendums and held a second vote in each case. Sinn Féin campaigned in those referendums and was on the losing side. We accepted the will of the Irish people. That d…

The Minister of State says there is ongoing co-operation that is official, political, and operational. For all of that co-operation and official, political, and operational collaboration, what is the current percentage of those in our international protection system who came through the common travel area? What measures have been taken? In terms of the official, political, and operational collaboration, how much has it reduced the numbers? What are the outcomes of that co-operation? Which particular measures enacte…

I move amendment No. 3: In page 16, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “Annual report on sovereignty and external obligations 2. (1) The Minister shall, not later than 31 March each year, lay before the Oireachtas a report detailing: (a) the extent to which the State’s international protection system remains under domestic control; (b) obligations arising from EU or international agreements during the preceding year; and (c) steps taken to ensure that Irish sovereignty and democratic oversight are ma…