Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

The reality is that the Minister's departmental officials have not engaged with people. The Minister's implication that the Department has acted with leeway and consideration and in a humanitarian way by issuing eviction notices four days before Christmas indicates a very different understanding of the English language. I say again that these people are not going away, but not because they are unruly or troublesome; people of a military background are normally very good at obeying orders and do not like to question authority. The reason this will not go away is that they have nowhere to go. This issue will not disappear off the Minister's radar and it will only get worse as more families are brought in to the net. Deputy Wallace, in a former life, was a builder. He made an offer that he would cost the works required to make those dwellings habitable. It would not cost the Minister anything to accept those figures. I ask the Minister if he will hold off the evictions and look at those proposals. Critically, will the Minister or his Defence Forces personnel in the Curragh meet these people who are in the Visitors Gallery? If he were willing to meet them afterwards when this discussion is finished they would tell him that the information he has given about how they are being treated fairly - that they were given information, encouraged and told what options are available to them - is not correct at all. I appeal to the Minister to organise a meeting in the Curragh with the Defence Forces or else meet them now after this debate. Otherwise, we will be back here every time.

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