Submission on the Scheme for the Immigration Residence and Protection Bill, 2006

We welcome the publication of the Scheme for an Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill. The Bill will provide a long awaited opportunity to address questions of immigration and asylum in Ireland in a fair, comprehensive and transparent manner. Despite many welcome steps outlined in the Scheme, we are concerned that the Scheme, as currently drafted, does not comply fully with international and European human rights standards or best practice in migration and asylum law. We have recommended further amendments to the Scheme. At a general level, we are concerned that the Scheme mixes questions relating to asylum and protection with more general migration issues concerning immigration and residence for a range of purposes. This may lead to a lowering of protection standards and to further confusion amongst asylum applicants and all those involved in immigration and asylum processes.