Brian Stanley: Calls for Faster Family Reunification, Flags Loopholes
Brian Stanley spoke during debate on the immigration bill, welcoming measures to speed up appeals while urging shorter residency requirements for family reunification and clearer enforcement for failed applicants. He also warned about profiteering in private accommodation, identified a Common Travel Area loophole and welcomed staffing changes in reception centres.
Speeding up appeals and integration
He welcomed the speeding up of the process and shorter times for appeals, saying successful applicants should be helped to complete the process and integrate into Irish society and communities as quickly as possible.
Family reunification timeframe
He raised concern about the three-year term for family reunification, noting a reported move to two years but arguing the period could be reduced further. He said people who have achieved status should be allowed family reunification because they are here to contribute and separating families can be particularly cruel.
Verification of failed applicants
He pressed for clearer rules on the departure of failed applicants, recalling that when he asked two years ago the Secretary-General said failed applicants received a letter to their last known address. He said that practice is not sufficient and insisted that enforcement must be rules-based and implemented.
Accommodation and profiteering
He warned that the day report is "still gathering dust" while there is rampant profiteering by private interests in the provision of accommodation. He described the housing response as rushed and of huge scale, with the Secretary-General and staff under considerable pressure to secure private accommodation.
Common Travel Area and centre staffing
He said Amendment 2 goes some way to addressing a loophole in the Common Travel Area but argued it cannot be solved without checks at the ports, noting many cross the border from Britain. He welcomed Amendment 1 on staffing of centres, supported the recent change in the Sinn Féin position on resourcing, and said he would back positive amendments while urging more time to scrutinise the bill.
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there are some good things in the bill Minister and there are some things that need to be changed and I think the speeding up of the process and time, that's welcome the speeding up of the times for appeal that's welcome as well because obviously successful applicants, we want to help them to get through the process and to allow them to integrate into Irish society and into communities and that needs to be assisted in every way possible, those people who are genuinely fleeing war, persecution or famine family reunifications, and I raise this switch and I'm raising it again with you today the three year term for family for that, for a person to have citizenship I understand that you're maybe changing that to two years, I would say even that you could go further with it it's one that I really have concerns about I think that somebody is here and to have you know, they have achieved status and everything here I think that, you know, we should allow family reunification they're here to contribute into Irish society and to separate them from their families I think it's, you know it can be particularly cruel so we need to help and assist those people those who fail, obviously you know, their departure needs to be verified and I haven't heard any clarification on this I know when I asked about two years ago the Secretary-General the Department told me that failed applicants after appeals and everything has gone through including courts to get a letter in the post to their last known address now maybe you can tell us today what the current situation is but that isn't sufficient and that isn't satisfactory if you fail, you fail it has to be rules-based you know, if the rules aren't implemented it doesn't work I want to also share this with just the issue of with the indulgence of the Chair just the issue of the day report you know, the day report is still gathering dust and meanwhile we have this rampant profiteering by private interests in terms of provision of accommodation and there's been a lot of questionable practices and because it's so rushed and because of the sheer scale of what had to be done you know, it was a huge task to house so many people in private accommodation and I know the Secretary-General of the Department that was handling that was under considerable pressure him and his staff to do that the common travel area needs to be addressed and I note that the Amendment 2 sorry, Amendment 2 on page 2 goes some way to addressing this there is a loophole there we have to recognise the fact and it's not about throwing up borders here, there and everywhere we know the problems they've caused in this island and certainly I'm not going to come in here and argue for that but there is a loophole there and it is a fact that the majority do come over Britain's artificial border in Ireland and that must be that must be addressed Amendment 2 goes some ways to addressing that but it can't be solved it can't be solved without checks at the ports I haven't gotten on to Amendment 2 yet yeah I'll just keep to it now the one in relation to staffing of the centres Amendment 1 I note that that's very positive in terms of in terms of you know that we ensure that the system is actually working that the resources are there that the administration and the staff are there I welcome the change in the Sinn Féin position because that wasn't the position that was always held 1, 2, 3 or 4 years ago but you know I welcome that that change that's happening now certainly because what was there if that was advocated and carried through we wouldn't be able to meet wouldn't have the services to meet with that so you know I'd be supporting positive amendments here as I said there's some good parts in the bill that I certainly will be voting for and I just think it needs further work it's a pity we haven't had more time to go through this there's a lot of amendments in a short space of time and you know it's been said already when you have one staff that can be difficult
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