Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On the resettlement programme, Ireland has experienced major changes in the past 15 years as a result of people from different parts of the world moving here. This has caused a major cultural change. The death of Alan Kurdi caused a major outpouring among Irish people who wanted to provide help and support. A number of groups consisting of organisations which deal with migrants, politicians and others came together to try to learn from mistakes made in the past and respond to the goodwill that had been shown. Unfortunately, difficulties have arisen in that regard. People will automatically conclude that I am referring to recent developments in Ballaghdereen, but accurate information dissipates fear. We need to ensure people know about the resources available and so on. How important are these factors in the resettlement programme and ensuring those being resettled are welcomed rather than met with antagonism, fear and uncertainty? Is this a key component of what we need to do in the future?

Ms O'Hara stated the Irish response had been modest. We would all like to increase it. We must learn from what has not worked in the past, for example, direct provision, and take new and different approaches. How important will this be, particularly for politicians?