IRELAND'S CATHOLIC bishops have come out strongly against provisions in the Government's Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2008, which they say allows for "disproportionate use of ministerial discretion".
Expressing "anxiety" over the Bill, the bishops say in a statement that unlike its first draft "which dealt only with immigration, the current draft deals also with asylum (protection), despite the very different regulations and international obligations relating to each, particularly regarding the right to enter the country".
Their key concerns include the lack of statutory provision for family reunification, that there is insufficient protection proposed for trafficked persons and the increased powers of detention it proposes.
They have further concerns about the absence of clear and comprehensive immigration policies and procedures and the lack of an appeal mechanism for review of immigration decisions in the Bill, as well as its proposed restrictions on access to benefits and services for people in an irregular situation.
"Ireland is the only EU state which does not have migrants' right to family reunification enshrined in primary legislation."
In the Bill, they add, "minor refugees are not allowed to apply to be reunited here with their siblings, placing parents in the dilemma of having to choose between joining their children in Ireland or remaining in their country of origin with their other children".
"Significant areas relating to asylum and immigration policy and procedures are not covered in primary legislation."
The policy statements relating to those areas have not yet been drafted and many substantial aspects will, therefore, be missing when the Bill is voted on".
The bishops also said that "changes to policy statements can be made without their having to go through the normal process of scrutiny and voting by the Oireachtas".
