Immigration Residence and Protection Bill 2008

The Immigration Residence and Protection Bill has been withdrawn. In a surprise announcement by Minister Dermot Ahern it was stated that the Bill will be now be republished as a new Bill to take account of several hundred amendments tabled by Opposition deputies in the Dáil.

 

The Immigration Residence and Protection Bill was introduced on 29 January 2008. It was hoped that if passed, it would consolidate and replace existing legislation in the area of asylum and immigration law, some dating from as far back as 1935. It was also intended to implement further European Directives such as the Procedures Directive.

 

 

 

Although the Irish Refugee Council welcomed this long awaited and necessary piece of legislation, it was concerned that it fell short of its Irish, its European and its International obligations and that a lot more would need to be done to ensure that those who are in need of protection receive it.