Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

In my experience, they have travelled here after having arrangements made for them by people traffickers. In general terms, they are of reasonably robust disposition, have travelled long distances to come to Ireland alone and secured passage here by paying substantial sums of money to traffickers. I would not be overly romantic about the fact that 16 and 17 year olds claim asylum here. In my mind, there is no great difference between a 17 year old and an 18 year old travelling from Nigeria to Paris to Dublin.

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