Spirasi Statement on the Publication of the International Protection Bill

Spirasi welcomes the recent publication of the International Protection Bill. The Bill is a critical step in the reform of the broken international protection process in Ireland. The enactment of this legislation is especially important given the current increase in the number of people now arriving into Ireland seeking safety.

Whilst Spirasi is supportive of the publication of the Bill and its swift passage through the legislative process we are especially concerned that it does not take into account the recommendations of the Independent Working Group on the Protection Process. The Working Group included all of the relevant state departments as well as Non-governmental Organizations in its deliberations. Many of the recommendations, which were arrived at by consensus, would also bring Ireland into line with the Common European Asylum System. In a time where the Irish government is taking a lead role in calling for a joint European response to the refugee crisis it is our opinion that it is now publishing legislation that maintains it as distinctly separate from Europe. This legislation could be an opportunity for the government to continue to display leadership and to bring about reforms that would display its actual commitment to assisting refugees.

Additionally the Bill has not significantly altered following the interim report of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality’s Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the International Protection Bill1. This was the only opportunity given to allow for any external submissions on the Bill.

We are especially disappointed that provisions for the early identification and monitoring of vulnerable asylum seekers in the international protection process have not been included in the legislation. This continues an approach to protection that relies too heavily on the self-identification of vulnerable applicants, which is already problematic in a system that takes more than four years on average to be concluded. The potential for vulnerable applicants to slip through the cracks in a more effective and efficient, speeded up, process needs to be properly addressed in the Bill.

1 http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/committees/justice/Interim-Report--Appendices---Int-Protection.pdf_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Company no. 476831 | Charity no. CHY 16923

Board of Directors: Rev. Brendan Carr C.S.Sp (Chair) | Peter O’Mahony (Secretary) | Marie Bramble | Karen Berkeley | Rev. Toochukwu Ekwonadu C.S.Sp | Gerald Griffin | Miriam Birungi Omoro | Sr. Joan Roddy | Thomas Ryan | Dr. Philip Wiehe

SPIRASI is supported by the: Health Services Executive, City of Dublin Education and Training Board, United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, Tusla Child and Family Agency, and World Mercy Fund

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