Observations on the General Scheme of the International Protection Bill 2015

The Minister for Justice and Equality published the General Scheme of the International Protection Bill (‘the General Scheme’) on 25 March 2015.

This submission is being made to the Minister for Justice and Equality and to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality following an invitation to the Ombudsman for Children from the Oireachtas Committee to make a submission and pursuant to Section 7 of the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002, which provides that the Ombudsman for Children may give advice on any matter relating to the rights and welfare of children, including the probable effect on children of the implementation of proposals for legislation.

We have a long-standing interest in and concern about matters affecting the rights and welfare of accompanied and unaccompanied children, who are amongst the most vulnerable children in the State and who face multiple barriers to the realisation of their rights.

The principal purpose of the observations and recommendations made is to propose a number of areas in which the legislation could be enhanced to better serve the interests of accompanied and unaccompanied children and to conform more fully with Ireland’s international human rights obligations.

• July 2015
• Type: Advice
• Topic: Immigration