Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their very interesting contributions. This is not my area of expertise. The Seanad has a public consultation committee. In the autumn I plan on opening a conversation by inviting representatives from the direct provision system, which is a shame and stain on our country. I would like to invite the three witnesses present to come to talk about migration and how people get to that point of desperation. We are displaying inhumanity to people who need embracing, care and love, and a shelter from the horrific circumstances they left behind.

The witnesses talked about climate displacement - which could have been appropriate to the previous speakers - the greed of the developed world and our destructive impact on those less fortunate.

Our objective in having a public consultation in the autumn will be to challenge perceptions in this country and reach out to the 40% of people who feel afraid of and unsure about migration. It is about getting the media to respond and to counteract some of the hysterical and hateful headlines we have seen. The witnesses noted that voters in several European countries have elected more delegates from right-wing, fortress Europe parties. My colleague, Senator Gavan, was in Hungary recently and may speak about what he saw there. I will be happy to extend an invitation to the witnesses, who have made an excellent contribution to this debate, to attend the public consultation later this year.