Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I understand the need for commencement dates, but will the Minister indicate which provisions she expects to commence in this calendar year? I do not need to know the day, week or month. Which will be commenced next year or the year after?

The Minister has twice mentioned the issue of people from outside the State entering the country through ports and airports to claim social welfare to which they do not have a legal entitlement. Are many such people resident in Northern Ireland or is the Minister referring to people arriving on boats? Most people who enter Ireland can easily travel down from Belfast, a route on which there are no checks. Anyone who finds his or her way to England or Scotland can travel to Northern Ireland and get the train down and up again. It is possible that not all of the people involved in the activity concerned are travelling to Ireland by aeroplane or ferry.

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