Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was doing three or four different duties at the same time, which is quite difficult. I will follow along the lines of Deputy Conway and am supportive of the general thrust of her remarks. From my own experience in dealing with immigrants from developing countries, there is increasing evidence of people who are vulnerable remaining vulnerable even when they come to this jurisdiction. They have become accustomed to being treated as second class citizens or not being allowed to achieve their full entitlements under any constitutional remit. They are fearful of asserting themselves or considering that they have an entitlement to be treated as equal citizens to those around them. This gives us all an opportunity to recognise their predicament first and foremost. There have been many of them. We can all talk about folklore in these cases but I remember the unfortunate case of a young woman who spent two or three years in this country, fell between systems and was deported to a developing country. Eventually, she contracted AIDS and died. That was unnecessary because help was at hand but the systems do not always work. While our systems are supposed to meet, greet and catch those who are in danger of falling through the loops, they do not always work. That is simply because the system is often impervious to the needs of the people. For example, the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have different roles.

I have come across the following situation on numerous occasions and I wish to emphasise it. In assessing the entitlements of immigrants and people who are vulnerable, it often comes to pass that criteria are applied that are not really relevant. If one checks with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade where a person in a particular category is very vulnerable in his or her homeland, one will find that no matter how much aid is diverted or concern expressed, he or she will fall through the system. What I am asking about is how those who fall through the system can have their issues addressed.