Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not disagree on the value of these workers on the ground, but they are greatly overburdened with the level of need within each of these emergency centres. I have engaged with a lot of these workers. Some of them have been funded through the HSE, but an immensely greater need is required. These workers have also worked on various other projects in Mayo, such as in Ballaghaderreen with the Syrian arrivals. I know some of them and know how they work on the ground.

From listening to the people within these centres, however, a missing piece to this jigsaw has possibly been left idle in recent months. I am trying to understand how quickly we are bridging that. They are seeking information and find it very difficult to figure out where they should go. For those who have access to medical cards now, they find it extremely difficult to get onto a general medical card scheme to get access to services because every GP's list is currently at capacity. Their only port of call is to emergency departments, EDs, but they might not require any ED treatment. How can we provide better support to these new arrivals?