Billy Lawless (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for a comprehensive report. I support the aid that Ireland is to the fore in providing. My colleagues have mentioned awareness and how we make the Irish people aware of how important the aid they give is and the great work it is doing. One of my main concerns is the toxic atmosphere in the United States where the number of asylum seekers will be reduced to a third of 110,000, which was the number a couple of years ago. It concerns me that such a terrible attitude is gaining traction. Ireland is one of the few European countries that is still pretty level-headed in the context of politics and the direction in which we are going. That is not to say it could not happen here. It is very important and I always ensure when I am speaking to my Irish-American colleagues that they remember from where they came. We were the first asylum seekers before the term was invented. It is a really worrying aspect for those of us who are advocates in the United States. It has been accepted, which is terrible. We have to make sure the Irish people understand what is going on and that we retain the giving attitude we have in this country.