Groups slam new Immigration Bill

The Government tonight came under heavy criticism for proposed new laws on immigrants which include robust powers to remove illegal asylum seekers.

The Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2008 replaces existing legislation dating back to the 1930s and puts an integrated statutory framework in place.

Under the proposed Bill, the state will have increased powers to control access to Ireland by foreign nationals and to track their movements within the country.

The legislation will also make it easier for the Government to deport illegal immigrants immediately, Mr Lenihan said.

However the proposals have been criticised for being flawed by Opposition TDs as well as the Immigration Council of Ireland and Migrants Rights Centre.

But Mr Lenihan said: “This is landmark legislation. It gives us a unified code of immigration law that will enable us to manage non-EU inward migration and complements the existing law governing the free movement of EU citizens.

“It brings together into one process the business of determining whether a person who claims refugee status will be permitted to stay in the state.

“It also puts on a statutory footing a new status of long-term residence, as an acknowledgement of the contribution that many migrants make to their adopted society.”

However, Migrants Right Centre director Siobhan O’Donoghue said the proposed legislation was seriously flawed.

“In Ireland we value fairness, transparency and due process.

“The Immigration Bill in its current form seriously lacks these basic principles and major changes in the Bill are needed to get this right now in order to meet everyone’s interests,” she said.

“We know from our history the dangers of giving too much power or discretion to any one person or group. According to the Bill, the minister has the power to summarily deport a person from Ireland without any right to appeal and that is shocking.”

The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) called for further provisions for family reunification.

The watchdog said it would be working closely with the Government as the Bill goes through the Oireachtas to ensure some of the measures are ironed out.

Fine Gael’s immigration and integration spokesman Denis Naughten said the new Bill would make it more difficult for Irish citizens to marry non-EU nationals and bring their spouses into the country.

He added: “I welcome proposals in the Immigration Bill to speed up the processing of asylum claims and to ensure that legitimate migrants are able to move to Ireland and contribute to economic growth.

“However, the minister has failed to address a ridiculous and unfair ruling which discriminates against the non-EU spouses of Irish citizens who want to live in this country.”

The Bill also attempts to meet Programme for Government commitments agreed by Fianna Fáil and the Greens relating to immigration and asylum.

Mr Lenihan said he would welcome constructive suggestions on the Bill and a lively debate in the Dáil.

He added that the state may need new legislation on an almost annual basis to take account of changes in migration patterns.