Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I share with the Cathaoirleach a devotion to Marty Whelan and the other great presenters on Lyric FM. On one occasion, he recounted a story about a three-legged dog going into a saloon in America. The bartender said, "What are you doing here? We don't serve dogs". The dog replied, "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw". That always stuck with me.

On a serious note, the Joint Committee on Justice has just finished its consideration, which was very accelerated but at least we got two sessions in the time allocated, of the migration pact proposal. On a wider note, one issue that really has not been addressed, either nationally or internationally, is the relationship between international migration and asylum-seeking, how one affects the other and how policy in one area is being affected by the other.

I ask the Leader to arrange for us to have a serious, reflective debate on international migration. What is the long-term future in respect of the population movements happening? How sustainable are they politically in the receiving countries? What are the implications for the sending countries? What are the implications for the asylum system in this country? Can we sustain what is happening now? Is the new normal referred to by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, of 20,000 plus asylum seekers every year sustainable given our own constraints? I ask the Leader to see if she could arrange such a debate with either the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, or the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin, so we can have a real, in-depth discussion and analysis here regarding migration. This could include topics such as our migration needs. I say this because we do need migrants. I wish to stress this point. We do need migrants, but the question here is whether we have a controlled migration policy or whether we will allow the present free-for-all to continue.