PRESIDENT Catherine Connolly has brought her newly formed Council of State together for the first time.
The President convened a meeting of the Council at Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday, to gain the views of members on the constitutionality of the International Protection Bill 2026.
The new law is set to significantly reform Irish asylum laws as it is tied to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact which is due to come into force across the EU in June.
Among those in attendance were former President Michael D Higgins, who handed over the presidency to Mrs Connolly last year, as well as his predecessors Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson.
Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny greets former President Mary Robinson at the Council of State meetingPresident Connolly nominated the new members of the Council earlier this month.
Among them is the Belfast-based Irish language activist Linda Ervine, who founded Turas, one of the city’s largest Irish language centres.
It also includes fellow Irish-language speaker Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, an international law and human rights expert, who is currently Professor of Law at the Queens University Belfast (QUB).
Fellow QUB Professor Colin Harvey was also appointed to the Council.
Every person who has previously held the office of President, Taoiseach or Chief Justice is also eligible to sit on the Council, and yesterday’s meeting saw Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris and former taoisigh Leo Varadkar and EnDa Kenny all present.
“The President will now consider the views of the members of the Council before making a decision as to whether to sign the Bill or to refer it to the Supreme Court for a decision on the question as to whether the Bill or any specified provision or provisions thereof are repugnant to the Constitution or to any provision thereof,” a spokesperson for the President’s office confirmed following the meeting.
The President is expected to announce her decision in the days ahead.
See more pictures from the meeting below…
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