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

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk on this very important topic. It is one that everyone is talking about where I come from. The people I represent are very worried about opting in to this new migration pact. They are asking why Denmark is not opting in. We are an island nation and we do not have much natural resources. Working people working, including farmers and businesspeople, are paying 40%, 50% or 52% tax and 4.5% USC on top of that. Before the Government, in its dying days, drives this pact through, it should have a referendum on this issue and see where it gets with it. That would be fair to the people. Do not do this over the people's heads or behind their backs. I am asking the Government to call a referendum on this very important issue.

We have a scenario these days whereby the Minister for Justice is proposing to put in some clause where she can send asylum seekers or whatever back to the UK. What facilities does the Garda National Immigration Bureau have? It is responsible for deportations, border control and investigations relating to illegal immigration. The GNIB is very thin on the ground. The Government does not know when there is a court order to deport people. It does not know whether people have left or stayed, or where they have gone. It has no control whatsoever in the world. These illegal immigrants are actually playing pooh-pah with our system. The only way that I see that we can have some control is to reduce the level of payments if they do not show they are here legally or waiting for assessment. If they are here illegally, they should not get any payments. We have trouble enough getting payments for our own.

People in Killarney and Kerry have been adversely affected because 36% of our hospitality beds in Killarney are taken up by refugees and asylum seekers. This has meant that many restaurants, cafés and other tourism-related businesses have closed, and more are near to closing in Killarney, Killorglin and Kenmare. After two years, no alternative accommodation is being made available, only hotels and guesthouses. Many people are angry about the impact on our services, with GPs, dental services and accident and emergency departments overcrowded.

There are a lot of inconsistencies. I do not mind what other people of any origin get but we need to be fair to our own people and ensure we get the same for them. If a local family becomes homeless in Killarney, there is no homeless centre in the town. They have to go to the homeless centre in Tralee and their children miss out on school. They are not offered rooms locally in a hotel. Then we have a system where, if you house Ukrainian refugees, it is grand.

If a landlord rents out to them, he or she gets €800 tax free. I want that same benefit to be offered to people who are renting out to local people. We have a scenario in Killarney where the children of refugees get free transport from inside whatever limit, yet Killarney children going to school in Killorglin do not get any free transport. That is not fair. I have nothing against any people from any country. We welcomed the Bangladeshi people with open arms and we appreciate them working. I have no problem with people coming working here from any part of the world, whether they are from Ukraine or elsewhere. I have no problem in the world but we have to be fair to our own people and give the same benefits to our own people because our people are providing the money for this by way of taxes.

See this speech in context