The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, has confirmed he will be bringing in amending legislation following yesterday's High Court ruling which found that Irish legislation for dealing with immigrants and aliens was unconstitutional.
Speaking at a meeting of EU Justice Ministers in Dublin, Mr McDowell said the Government had still not ruled out the possibility of appealing the decision to the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the ministers have been discussing proposals to bring in a European Evidence Warrant, which would allow for the greater transfer of information between member states.
Earlier, a senior officer with the Garda Immigration Bureau said the High Court ruling would have serious ramifications for the management and control of immigration in this country.
He said gardaí would no longer have the powers of search and detain. Under the powers, gardaí can demand identification from a person and detain that person if the identification is not forthcoming.
The officer also said that, following the ruling, the registration process which non-nationals are required to undergo on entry into the country will no longer have a legal basis. He said the only way forward is to appeal to the Supreme Court or bring in emergency legislation.
Mrs Justice Finlay Geoghegan also ruled yesterday that a section of the 1999 Immigration Act was not enacted within the proper framework as set down in the Constitution. The decision is expected to affect the way laws are passed in this country.
