Ms Siobhán O'Donoghue:

Over the years, we have had some experience of the newspaper selling business. It has not been an issue concerning the undocumented, but is more about being exploited. A lot of people who are selling newspapers in such situations are actually European citizens and have the right of free mobility and residence in Ireland. There is an exploitation issue, however.

The committee might be interested in a particular case I dealt with a number of years ago. It concerned a young woman who was undocumented and was involved in cleaning Dáil Éireann every day. It brought home the fact that undocumented people are integrated into our lives, families, communities and workplaces. They are not separate but are integrated. This proposal is about recognising that reality. The only home the children of such people have ever known is Ireland.

I have a statement from Champika, who is in the Visitors Gallery today, on her experiences of being undocumented in Ireland. She talks about her 18-year-old daughter who has spent the last ten years in the Irish education system and is completely integrated. She is among the top 5% of talented young people in the country. We have just heard that she has got a Gaisce presidential award.

We are dealing with young people and older people also. One undocumented person we are dealing with is fluent in Irish. There are issues concerning exploitation but it is more likely that such people are getting on with their lives, working, paying tax and PRSI, and making a contribution although they are not formally recognised in the system.