Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. Unfortunately, anybody who has worked with asylum seekers and who is familiar with the direct provision system, and all the NGOs involved, knows the direct provision has serious implications for people's mental health. For many years I was involved with a support group in Donegal Town and there were serious mental health issues for the residents in the direct provision hostels there as a direct result of the direct provision system. Earlier today there was a protest outside the gate against institutionalised racism that has taken place in this country and the direct provision system is a very stark example of institutionalised racism where people are not dealt with humanely or as human beings. In some cases children are born into direct provision and have lived under it all their lives. There is no doubt in my mind that direct provision is harmful to the mental health of the residents of the hostels, and many NGOs across this country agree. In the interests of children and their families we should urgently seek to change that.

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