David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will stop Mr. O'Driscoll there. When officials from the Department of Justice and Equality and RIA were before the committee two years ago - Mr. O'Driscoll's predecessor was here - I put it on the record that what Mr. O'Driscoll has described has not been my experience across the board. I have had experience of having to visit reception centres in the past. Things have changed, thankfully. They are private entities which are run privately. Some of them have different rules. When I was a member of Waterford City and County Council a number of years ago, I was invited by the residents to visit one of these centres. When I turned up, I was refused entry. I was asked to seek an appointment. When I sought an appointment, it was refused to me by management.