Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late, but I am aware of the organisation and have read the documentation that it forwarded to the committee. Like Senator Freeman, I wish to clarify the situation in which people find themselves. When people come to Ireland on work visas, are they restricted in how much they can work? The witnesses referred to €41 million lost to the State in revenue, but they also mentioned that these people paid taxes. Where is the loss? Are they working extra hours that they should not be working? Should they be allowed to work full-time?

What is the Garda's approach to this? Deputy Rabbitte referred to it being common knowledge that undocumented people were living in Gort. Is the Garda National Immigration Bureau aware of undocumented people? Does the Garda turn a blind eye? If the people in question come to the Garda's attention for some reason, is it obliged to begin the deportation process? How are there so many undocumented people who technically should not be in Ireland but are working and paying taxes here? No action seems to be taken against them. Why is that? What is the Garda's attitude? How many are being deported if they come to the Garda's attention?

The witnesses mentioned the one-off regularisation - I find it difficult to say that as well - programme and referred to a four-year requirement to take it. What about everyone who has not been in Ireland for four years? What about everyone who will come to Ireland from this point onwards and become undocumented? Will we be sitting here in ten or 15 years' time with the same number of undocumented children because we have not put a process in place to provide them an avenue to becoming a resident or citizen?

In terms of status, a child is attached to his or her parents until reaching 16 years of age. If the child is born in Ireland, he or she does not get residency or become a citizen automatically. When they reach 16 years of age and are no longer attached to their parents, what are their options if they were born in the State, have always lived here and have been going to school here? How is the voice of the child facilitated? Is there an application process for such children? If not, should we be doing something for them? To where would such a child be deported? Nowhere, because Ireland is home, but such children have no status and are no longer linked to their parents. How could we work around this issue?

What is the MRCI's relationship with Tusla and the ISPCC?