Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I will say this if the Deputies will listen to me for a moment. In recent months I have put in place a scheme for parents of Irish born children, which is being availed of by about 10,000 to 20,000 applicants. I do not need a lecture from any of the Deputies opposite about fairness in our system. That is something I was not legally obliged to do, but felt morally compelled to do and it was well received. I do not pretend for one second that our standard of living, whether in education, health or otherwise, is not superior to many of the countries to which we return deportees. On a simple human level it is a difficult decision to send somebody home because one is extinguishing a dream, which was to go to Ireland to better himself or herself. It is not an easy decision to make, but it is one that I have to make in the best interests of immigrants and indigenous people together.

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