Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

International Protection (Family Reunification) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion

Photo of Colette KelleherColette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Jack Chambers and the information the Chairman shared with us, it is extremely disappointing that the Government has made up its mind. We received notification in respect of the money message in October 2017 after we moved the Bill in July 2017. None of the arguments or cases we made was listened to. That in itself is undemocratic. Large majorities have been recorded in the Seanad and Dáil in support of this Bill. It is a modest proposal and it does not fit within the measures that cover money matters.

I will go back to the scale of the catastrophe. We are discussing technicalities while people are in trouble in their lives. When we do not do enough in this country, we impose burdens on others, for example, the Greek islands and parts of Italy. We see horrific situations when we travel. I saw a little boy of about seven years in a doorway in Paris two Sundays ago. He was with another child, possibly his brother. We could give out about France not doing enough but when we do not do enough, we are complicit because we are in dereliction of our duties as a country and we are failing to show solidarity as a member of the European Union by acting when people are in the most desperate of circumstances.

I am disappointed beyond belief and I will certainly consider the advice Deputy Jack Chambers has given us on taking a challenge to this ruling. I am deeply disappointed, not just on my behalf given the work that has been put in to this Bill, but for the people who are being let down as a result of the use of this technicality. None of the arguments has been listened to and we have not even been dignified by an appearance by the Minister. The Government did not even wait until tomorrow to make the decision. It is extremely disappointing, not just to me but to people such as Izzeddeen Alkarajeh and others all over Europe and the world to whom we have a moral responsibility to respond.

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