Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I thank our contributors. Their presentations were fascinating. I also thank them for their work over the past six months. I can only imagine the pressure they are under. My first question pertains to the asylum process in and of itself. Let us start from the basis that absolutely everybody has a right to come here seeking asylum. People come seeking asylum for a multitude of reasons but often fall into a one-size-fits-all model. Can our guests tell us about some of the complexities, in an immediate sense, for a person who comes here from a country that is seeking accession to the EU, for example, compared with people coming from a different part of the world?

I will also speak to the importance of advanced planning and the consequences when that has not taken place.

We seem to operate continuously as if we are surprised that we require vastly improved accommodation. In December, people were still being accommodated in tents, which is horrendous. We are surprised that our hotels want some rooms back for tourist season. Will the witnesses comment on how the blundering around that issue by the Department and the pressure that places on the witnesses' organisations and the people they represent? It is often spoken about in relation to the necessity for communication with communities, which we heard from both previous speakers. I talk about that quite a lot but I still do not know what best practice would look like. Do the witnesses have any examples or suggestions for best practice as regards consultation with communities in advance of an International Protection Accommodation Services, IPAS, centre opening up in their area? It is relevant to me but I am still on the fence about how that can be done effectively and ensuring everybody is safe.

Regarding the street protests we have seen recently, I possibly have a different view from some of the speakers before me, but there must be a line. We have seen a degree of the Garda being in an unenviable position and a degree of stand-offish approach, which I understand. However, there is a difference when, for example, the other night I witnessed people standing outside accommodation playing a siren with a mother and her young child inside. That is not protest. It is intimidation and it needs to be addressed. I am interested to hear the witnesses' perspective on where exactly the line is because there must be one.

Concerning pathways to regularisation, we have seen what I would say is the success of the regularisation programme that happened last year. It is unfathomable that it stops after six months. What different pathways to regularisation can be initiated with immediate effect? Perhaps the witnesses could make suggestions in that regard. It was also captured in the children's rights committee's report today.

My last question pertains to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. It seems to be under a huge amount of pressure but it is certainly not effective that all the responsibility falls on one Department. We call for a cross-departmental approach. I think all of us have made that call over recent months. Should we go further and call for a Minister with specific responsibilities so we have a sense of who is in charge of the specific issue of refugee integration?