Ms Áine Ní Chonaill:

Since we have a single issue and do not get involved in immigration to America, legal or otherwise, as my colleague said, we cannot be accused of hypocrisy. I am just saying one frequently hears that the Government is accused of hypocrisy for seeking an amnesty for our illegals and not giving people amnesty here. What I was saying is that it is a very silly notion that any government would simply put its citizens only on the same basis as citizens from all over the world. If the Deputy stood for election and said, "I do not care any more for Irish citizens than I care for the citizens of China or Pakistan" he would not get elected. It is normal, natural and expected of governments that they will root for their own citizens and will have the brass neck to look for special concessions for them. Hypocritical it may be but it is what every government everywhere will do.