Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for coming and their very helpful contributions. It is vital that we hear not only from organisations working with asylum seekers and refugees but also from people with direct experience of the direct provision system. People seeking asylum in Ireland do so with international protection. Sometimes it is lost in the debate that they are here because they are fleeing persecution, conflict and oppression. I presume that applies to all of the persons present from MASI.

I will not put anybody on the spot because obviously I appreciate it could be traumatic. Does any of the delegates wish to share his or her reasons for seeking asylum? If not, does anybody have a story he or she would like to tell of a friend or somebody he or she knows in the direct provision system in order to give the committee an insight into the reasons people flee and are in Ireland seeking international protection?