Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and the Minister of State. I also thank the staff in Deputy Mattie McGrath's office who did a lot of work and research in putting forward this very important motion. I also want to address people who are critical of the Rural Independent Group and say we are trying to be inflammatory with this motion. They are wrong. What we are trying to do is hold the Government to account. Any time money is being spent, be it millions or, as in this case, billions of euro, our job as legislators is to question that. Our job is to question Government policy and hold it to account, and rightfully so. I believe the Government has gone from crisis to chaos and chaos to crisis in its handling of this situation.

I will give some frightening statistics. At present, there are between 700,000 and 1.2 million undocumented migrants in Britain. If only a fraction of these were to relocate to this State, it would collapse the Irish immigration system and completely collapse our education and healthcare services as well as all the other wraparound services that are involved in catering for people. When we speak about people it is not just about a house or place to stay, it is also about all the other services that have to be put in place to take care of those people. The Government is failing dramatically in this job.

Our concerns have been thoughtfully put together in every aspect of what we say. We are questioning the migration and asylum pact and the fact that the Government wants to railroad it through the House. We are questioning the fact that the Government seems to be walking blindly, and taking the people of this State blindly, into the unknown. We have seen what has happened in communities where there is no consultation with TDs or Senators. The world does not revolve politically around TDs or senators. We have a very important group of people, namely, our county councillors. I do not care whether they Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or independents; they deserve to be treated with respect. If people are being moved into their communities, they should be notified at the exact same time or even before we here in Dáil Éireann are notified because they are working on the ground in those communities. They know the concerns the locals have.

I know from canvassing very diligently for the local elections in all parts of Kerry that people are raising the issue of the Government's policies. These people are not racist. They are not saying anything against individuals. They are not nasty people and they are not the people who went up to a member of An Garda Síochána and spat in his face because he was doing his duty in a place where he was called out to keep law and order. They are not that type of person but people are entitled to ask questions. It is taxpayers' money that is paying for the health service and accommodation. They are the people who fill the coffers of the State and we are answerable to them, whether we are county councillors, TDs or Senators. They are our bosses. We are the servants of those people when we come here and question the Government. How dare people criticise members of the Rural Independent Group and say there is something wrong with us because we voice our concerns in a well thought-out and considered way.

We are perfectly entitled to do that, and I will never apologise for doing it. Maybe they are wrong, because if they are willing to blindly support the Government and what I would call its failed joined-up thinking, it is their wrong and not ours. We are only doing our duty. It is time to give the people a chance and an opportunity by means of a referendum on the whole migration issue. They should be asked questions and they should then tell the Government what they want and how they want to go forward. We have to do something to tighten our controls.

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