Dr. Niall Muldoon:

We were against direct provision for many years and felt it was the wrong way to go. We thought it inappropriate. We have now stumbled upon a way of doing things that can work in respect of people coming into our country. It is something we need to look at more seriously. Whatever works positively for one group of people should also work for others. I was in Citywest when I was still working actively. There is a difference between getting in and out in 24 hours and getting in and out in three weeks. That is something that could be fixed or smoothed out. We can take lessons in that regard. It is about learning where to take risks and balancing them against the reward. Are we afraid of making this place attractive for people who are stuck economically? That remains rare. We still do not have a great deal of evidence to show that has become the situation. Are we trying to make this place a safe haven for people who are absolutely terrified and traumatised by some of the worst conditions in the world, whether caused by war, famine or whatever else. Those people are coming to our country for safety. Can we assist them by allowing them to be part of our community in an active way that, as the Cathaoirleach said, could include employment and education? We can allow them to contribute back, which most of them want to do. Some people are coming with considerable skills but even if they are not coming with skills, they can still contribute in a way that is better than sitting in a direct provision situation. We need to take the lessons we have learned from how we have dealt with people from Ukraine and use those lessons to start broadening our horizons, with the children at the heart of our approach. How do we make the situation better for those children arriving? We do so by ensuring those parents feel good and safe, and included in our community, rather than stuck inside and perhaps prone to depression. Perhaps there are other troubles affecting those people. It is about engaging with them in that way and taking lessons.