[excerpt]

IMMIGRATION ACT 1999

(In force from July 2000)

[…]

11.—(1) The Refugee Act, 1996, is hereby amended—

(a) in section 1(1), by—

(i) the substitution of the following definition for the definition of "the Appeal Board":

"'the Tribunal' means the Refugee Appeals Tribunal established by section 15;", and

(ii) the insertion of the following definition:

"'working day' means any day not being a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday;",

(b) by the insertion of the following section after section 7:

"Establishment of Refugee Advisory Board.

7A. —(1) There shall be a board to be known as the Refugee Advisory Board (in this Act referred to as 'the Board') to perform the functions conferred on it by this Act.

(2) The Board shall be independent in the performance of its functions.

(3) The provisions of the Schedule to this section shall have effect in relation to the Board.

(4) (a) The Board shall, in every second year beginning with the year 2001, prepare and submit to the Minister a report in writing on the operation in the preceding 2 years of this Act and may include in the report information and comment in respect of asylum policy and refugees including any proposals to amend legislation and recommendations regarding the practice or procedures of public or private bodies in relation to applicants and any other matters relating to such operation coming to its attention to which it considers that his or her attention should be drawn and, not later than 1 month after such submission, the Minister shall cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(b) The Board shall, at the request of the Minister, prepare and furnish to him or her a report in writing on such matters relating to the performance of its functions as the Minister may specify and as soon as may be after the receipt by the Minister of the report, he or she shall cause a copy of it to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(5) The Commissioner shall, whenever so requested by the Board, furnish to the Board information in relation to such matters as the Board may specify relating to the performance of its functions.

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