Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 30 November 2016

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs

Undocumented Children: Discussion

9:00 am

Photo of Anne RabbitteAnne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming here this morning. It was a very worthwhile presentation. It was fantastic and sobering for 9 o'clock on a Wednesday morning to say the least. I come from a place near Gort. Gort has Brazilians. We have a huge number of undocumented living in Gort. The barriers they face on a daily basis are unbelievable. Their parents came, worked and paid their taxes and have probably overstayed their visit. The issue of the children is unbelievable. The under-reporting, fear of reporting and fear of talking about any issue that arises for fear they will be sent home or separated from their parents is unbelievable. We ask what they are afraid of. If there is bullying taking place at school, they are afraid to approach the teacher for fear of putting their head above the parapet. They are afraid of the same thing if there is bullying within their community or any other sort of violence perpetrated on a child within their community. There is also the issue of violence against the female parent which is particularly relevant at this time when we talk about violence against women. They are afraid all the time to speak up. I acknowledge the work of the family resource centre. This is what I am leading to. What is the MRCI's relationship with various other groups throughout the country that are trying to support or protect the undocumented? The Gort family resource centre is doing a power of work in trying to facilitate getting people documented but are hitting continual barriers. The link with the local communities right down to the family resource centre and the developing of policy to assist is important. Has the MRCI done surveys on the under-reporting, as Deputy Ó Laoghaire asked about? I am talking about bullying and sexual assault on children. Are there any other studies to prove that by not regularising them we are failing to protect them in society?

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