Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Any person in danger of violence etc. in the host country is entitled to resist deportation on refoulement grounds. If somebody is brought from Dublin to Lagos, for example, by airplane, arrangements are made by an advanced party of gardaí for reception and processing in Lagos. Arrangements are made for overnight accommodation for such people if they so wish. After that, these people are in their home country and it is their duty to look after themselves. The State's obligation does not extend to monitoring these people or doing a follow-up.

Anybody who thinks the resources of the Exchequer should be spent finding out what happens to people who came here but remained illegally after being asked to go home and that we should make it our business to monitor what happened to these people after they returned home should know that is not a reasonable use of manpower or taxpayers' resources.

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