Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his presentation. I will touch on some matters that have not been raised in great detail. Regarding the migrant crisis, which is a significant challenge for Europe and individual EU member states, in his opening statement, the Tánaiste said we need to find a consensus based on solidarity and responsibility and that addressing the migrant crisis requires deeper political, economic and development relations between the EU and our partners, particularly in Africa. He alluded to population growth in Africa. I will preface my question by referring to some of the scenes we witnessed in our own country with regard to attacks on and opposition to direct provision centres. We can be proud of our humanitarian track record and our approach to dealing with vulnerable people and those who have had to flee their countries of origin. My party and I are extremely concerned about some of the attacks on venues and places that were to have operated as direct provision centres. In particular, I am concerned that there is a sinister infiltration of communities by people with ulterior motives. I respect and defend any community's right to articulate concerns around service provisions. That is fair enough. Their fears may not always be to the extent that is being articulated. We have seen how when direct provision centres were rolled out in some communities, those fears were not found to be of the scale or level expressed heretofore. We are now a multicultural country. We have a large non-Irish and non-European population that contributes hugely to our society and economy. We must only look at the most recent local elections where a number of people who emigrated to this country were elected to positions in local government, which is positive. We had some in my own party in Limerick while the Tánaiste's party and others also have them. I welcome that because it is a positive change. I am couching that in terms of the migration challenge faced by Europe. I know direct provision largely comes under the Department of Justice and Equality but immigration is something we are discussing here. We know the background and history of direct provision. It is far from perfect and has had significant problems. Over the years, the Government has tried to improve it. An alternative mechanism for dealing with people who present themselves here is not as obvious as people would like to think it is. It is a complex issue.

Can the Tánaiste give us more detail about how the EU will address this issue? This country is playing its part by taking its quota. With regard to the whole scale of it, the Tánaiste spoke about finding "a consensus based on solidarity, responsibility and international law". I ask him to put a little more flesh on those bones.

My final question relates to the Middle East peace process, which has been raised by previous speakers. We have raised it with the Tánaiste on a number of occasions. I acknowledge that he has been vocal on it. I also acknowledge that he has been critical of the stagnation or non-existence of the process and of the continued illegal expansion of settlements into the occupied territories. He told me in the Dáil almost two weeks ago that he shared the despair that was being articulated by me and by other Deputies. When people from Israel purport to speak with authority, it is hard to believe what they are saying because their actions are completely different. I suggest the Government needs to rethink its approach to the occupied territories Bill because the strategy of being vocal and criticising is not having any tangible effect. I wonder whether we could look at other avenues. For example, I was briefed by Trócaire recently on the whole area of human rights and environmental due diligence legislation. Could we consider the option of having a discussion with our European partners to demonstrate that the practices which are being rolled out offend human rights and potentially offend environmental best practice?

I ask the Tánaiste to respond to the two matters I have raised. As other members have covered Brexit and other topics, I do not intend to go into them. I was present in the Dáil this morning when the Tánaiste addressed a number of issues that were put to him by my party's deputy leader, Deputy Calleary.