Politicians consider new immigration Bill

Politicians will this afternoon begin considering the most fundamental reform of Irish immigration legislation since the foundation of the State.

Almost 60 different immigrant groups have made submissions to a special Dáil committee expressing their concerns about the proposed Immigration Bill.

The issues raised include the reunification of families, as well as the need for an independent appeals mechanism.

The head of the Dáil Justice Committee, Fianna Fáil's Peter Power, says the bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation which has come before the Oireachtas.