James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to focus on budgeting to combat disinformation, in particular. Is that something Mr. McCarthy considered in 2022? Did the Department discuss the fact that, no matter where you go internationally, migration is an incredibly divisive topic? It needs to be managed carefully and it attracts everything from foreign interference to strong resistance. There is an onus on the agencies and Departments that have responsibility. The ball is in Mr. McCarthy's court in respect of dealing with this. What is going on online today as a consequence of decisions we are making and that the Department is analysing is a major concern. It is of nationwide concern. Mr. McCarthy spoke of public support but I do not see it, to be quite frank with him. When I speak to my constituents in a town like Youghal, they say that almost 1,000 people were brought into a town of around 8,500 people. Mr. McCarthy spoke of consultation with public representatives but the Department did not consult me or my Oireachtas colleagues when the closed-door negotiations were going on with private firms regarding what were incredibly lucrative contracts. The ramifications for the communities have to be taken into consideration, as do the economic effects. When I speak to constituents, I note the perception is that people are receiving an awful lot more than they are, by way of housing and other things. These are the matters that deeply concern me because so much of the information circulating and what the public sees online and elsewhere is factually incorrect. I put that to the Department. I opened with a question on combating disinformation. What did the Department do in 2022 to put provisions aside to analyse this issue? Did Mr. McCarthy raise with the Minister the idea that we really needed a concrete plan if what was proposed was what we were to do?