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

I thank the delegation for giving honest and factual evidence to the committee. We welcome hearing their stories. What is happening with this system is entirely wrong. At the same time, we have to strike a balance. We cannot have a situation whereby people will come into the country and be entitled to all of the welfare or different sources of benefits available through the different Departments. This cannot be allowed because then we would have what we would call a free-for-all. We cannot have that because this country cannot afford it.

At the same time, one cannot stand over a situation, as has been properly outlined today, of people being put into a room and kept there for five, ten, 12 or 14 years under direct provision. That is equally wrong. We need to strike a balance and have fair play. We should be extremely welcoming of people. I do not care where they are from or who they are. If they want the opportunity to live and work here, we should be putting our hands around them telling them they are welcome and every good luck to them. We should not be picking people out. Who do we think we are to be putting people into a room and telling them to wait there until we deal with them in due course? That is playing with people’s lives and is not right. It is not right, fair or proper that young people, born here, are kept in a room with their parents and left there for years until we decide what we will do with them. These are young people born in Ireland who should be given the exact same rights and freedoms of any other person’s child who is born in Ireland. I feel very strongly about this.

I am the first to say we cannot change from the current situation to one where we welcome everybody and help them. That cannot happen as we cannot afford to do it, but if people want to come here to live and work, nothing but a red carpet should be laid for them when they arrive. Every opportunity should be afforded to them, be it education or work. This is not a nanny state that can tell people to come here because we can take care of them, keep them, provide them with money and proper health care care. We cannot afford that nonsense; that day is gone. At the same time, we should not move the other way, which is where we have gone with the direct provision system. It is called fair play, being balanced and equitable and giving people who want to come here the same rights that were afforded to our parents and grandparents when they went to other countries such as England and America to look for work and opportunities. Thankfully, they were given the right to work, which is what we should give to those who come here and want to stay. We should not discriminate against them as currently happens.