Billy Lawless (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I can tell Ms Suzanne Keatinge that before he ever became President, Michael D. Higgins always stood up for the underprivileged and the downtrodden. I am never surprised by what he does. I have always admired him.

My adopted country is the United States of America. I have been appointed as a Senator to represent the diaspora and the Irish abroad.

Reference has been made to refugees. The stoking of fears in regard to refugees in the United States is unbelievable. Mothers and children are fleeing Central America via the border between Mexico and the United States. They are fleeing rape, murder and trafficking. They are stopped at the border and then they are brought before the court to be deported. Children as young as five and six have no legal representation. I have spoken with American legal counsel on the matter. The situation is atrocious. From the time they apply, it takes up to three years for a refugee to be able to enter the United States of America. We see the terrible migration that has taken place in Europe. We have taken in nobody in the United States. The UN summit is taking place in New York. It might not be any harm to remind the United States of its responsibility, as the wealthiest country in the world, and how it should tackle this problem. Ireland has influence. We have proven that ourselves in the few short years I have been in the United States where we have influenced legislation. We are still highly regarded and we punch way above our weight. We should always remember that. The US Government needs to be reminded.

Deputy Crowe made the point that climate change has a lot to do with the movement of people. One could not believe the number of people in the United States of America who do not believe climate change is happening. Those are issues we need to remind the US Government about and how they should be tackled. We definitely have the influence to do that.