The Human Rights Commission has complained to the Minister for Justice for denying it the chance to examine new amendments to refugee law which it says have serious human rights implications.
The amendments to the Immigration Bill 2002 would introduce "super-fast" processing of some refugee claims and extend the period in which asylum-seekers can be detained while their claims for the right to live here as refugees are determined.
The Bill is due to complete its passage through the Oireachtas this week.
The president of the Human Rights Commission, Dr Maurice Manning, said he was concerned that the body had not been given the chance to exercise its statutory obligation to examine the legislation.
Amendments to the Bill introduced in the past fortnight were "very substantial and significant and in some ways they amount to virtually new legislation", he said.
Further amendments were taken at report stage yesterday, when opportunity for debate is limited, Dr Manning added.
Opposition TDs, as well as refugee lobby groups and the commission, complained last week to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Law Reform that the late circulation of the amendments amounted to "an affront to proper legislative practice".
These groups, as well as the commission, had already made submissions to the committee about the Bill, but this was before the raft of amendments to it were tabled by the Minister, Mr McDowell.
The commission's statutory obligation is to "keep under review the adequacy and effectiveness of law and practice in the State relating to the protection of human rights".
In a letter to Mr McDowell, the commission said it had reviewed the proposals and continued "to be deeply concerned about aspects of the legislation and about the absence of time for adequate and reflective consideration of some very significant amendments".
Dr Manning said the commission would monitor the operation of the new provisions following the law's enactment to ensure there were no breaches of human rights.
A spokesman for the Minister said the amendments were extensively discussed, with four days of extended sittings of the Oireachtas committee last week.
Meanwhile, the Immigration Council of Ireland has said exploitation of migrant workers is quite widespread and that official information about their rights and entitlements is not accessible.
Its chairwoman, Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, said many immigrants lived in a state of ambiguity, uncertainty and confusion, and didn't know who to believe or trust.
She was speaking at the publication yesterday of a comprehensive handbook, produced by the council, which details the rights, entitlements and legal obligations of migrants including workers, people with residency status and students.
Sister Stan said immigrants were often too confused and lacking in confidence, courage and language skills to find the strength to look for information.
Practically none of the immigrants the council has offered advice and information to at its Dublin drop-in centre have seen the information about employment matters which is available from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment,according to Sister Stan.
The council has seen a rise of more than 140 per cent in calls for help in the four months since it opened.