The Minister for Justice was accused yesterday of flouting democratic processes by introducing at the last minute a raft of amendments to refugee law, without allowing human rights organisations to comment on them.
The criticisms were made at an Oireachtas committee, where Mr McDowell had tabled substantial amendments to the Immigration Bill 2002, which would introduce "super-fast" processing of some refugee claims.
The Bill will also extend the period asylum-seekers can be detained while their claims for the right to live here as refugees are determined.
A proposal by the Labour Party's Justice spokesman, Mr Joe Costello, to postpone consideration of the amendments yesterday were defeated in a vote at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Mr Costello held aloft a joint letter to the committee from four refugee lobby groups who claimed the late circulation of the proposed amendments constituted "an affront to proper legislative practice".
The groups, including the Irish Refugee Council and Amnesty International, requested time to submit a detailed commentary on the planned legal changes, some of which could adversely affect people in need of international protection.
The Human Rights Commission also wrote separately to the committee chairman, Mr Seán Ardagh, saying the 21 proposed amendments appeared to raise very important issues which it would like to address, according to Mr Costello.
A detailed submission from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees was also handed in to the committee as it was in session yesterday. Mr Costello said these organisations should be able to make submissions to the committee. He was supported by the independent TD, Mr Finian McGrath. However, the proposal was defeated.
Defending the amendments, Mr McDowell said they were urgent business and were related to the integrity of the asylum system.
"This country needs this law and needs it badly," he said.
Around €350 million is spent annually on the asylum phenomenon and this had implications for overseas development and other social programmes, he said. The proposed law would help stop abuse of the asylum system, he added.
Mr McDowell said the amendments had been signalled repeatedly, and he offered to sit with the committee several evenings this week to have them considered.
He said the Government had a very ambitious legislative programme and while he fully supported consultative processes by the committee, "the pace has to be exacting because the problems are exacting".