Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. I pay tribute to Dr. Muldoon, Ms Ward and their people for their work. It is quite clear from following them that they do a good job and they take it very seriously. Something they might try to answer is how challenging they find the job. When we are dealing with children in particular, all of us become very concerned when they are getting a raw deal. The witnesses strike me as people who go way outside their role of duty to ensure at all times that children are properly treated. They highlight situations in general where children have been neglected in certain ways. We think about direct provision and the fact that countries such as Ireland take people in who are waiting for decisions on their applications for international protection. In my view, if we are going to do this, they should be treated properly. It is quite clear there have been unacceptable situations occurring over a long period of time. To think it is six years since the McMahon report and we are still only going at a snail's pace.

I acknowledge there are commitments in the programme for Government to get rid of direct provision. In my view, and I know they are emergency situations, such centres should never be for profit. A state should not have them for profit. We talk about people trafficking but when we bring in people we are supposed to be taking them out of one hell but in some cases, not all, we have put them into another hell. This is quite obvious. This is what has happened. In my personal view, and I know not everybody will agree with me, and I know the services were needed, having such services for profit is wrong. I do know, because of how the witnesses handle their jobs and highlight this and promote it and go after every situation and investigate it, that things are improving.

I believe that people in direct provision cannot get driver licences. I ask the witnesses to update me on this. People in a direct provision centre that does not have public transport and who do not have a driver licence are in hell. I live very near the village of Roosky and we know the terrible thing that happened there. A point about the village of Roosky is there are 18 different nationalities living in the parish. It is a rural parish with a small village. At the time, there was no doubt about it, the people of the village, and I believe the same could be said of a million villages throughout Ireland, were more than willing to take in four or five families. There were even houses available if the State had given some support. Unfortunately, what happened was that between extreme right-wing and extreme left-wing people, the poor local people got caught in a very unacceptable situation.

My view is direct provision centres are certainly not the way to go. If we are going to be in this to help people out and take them out of the sheer hell they are in, then from day one, once we take them in, we have to try to support them so they have some sort of a proper life.

I do not know whether this is the experience of the witnesses but it is remarkable to watch children in schools and those who have come from other nations with our local Irish children. There is no hatred or bitterness. Children do not say they will not play with one another. It is we adults who are the problem. In some circumstances they spew hatred that is just not acceptable. I do not mind people having a view but sometimes I am shocked at their attitude. It is a minority of people. If they only looked at children and watched them in a playground or at birthday parties, before Covid of course because Covid has changed all of these things, they would see how well children get on. There is no bitterness or hatred. I appreciate the work of the witnesses and I want to know how challenging they find the job. They strike me as very genuine people. I ask them to clarify the point on driver licences. I do not think people in direct provision can apply for a driver licence. I should know this but I admit that I do not. I thank the witnesses for their great work.