Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I come from a provincial town in rural Ireland and a year and a half ago, we took in 12 Syrian families. I believe we were the first town in Ireland to do that. Those families have blended in perfectly with the local community. The other morning, as I was making my way to Dublin, I saw two Syrian youngsters coming up the street with hurleys under their arms. If ever we wanted an indication that this process can work, that was it.

There are two local people from my area in the Public Gallery who have worked in the camps in Calais. I have been speaking to them throughout the day and they told me of the hardship and inhumanity these unaccompanied minors have come from.

We have to remember our history and where we have come from as a country. We should remember the coffin ships that left these shores. There are 21.3 million refugees as a result of this conflict. We are being asked to take in 200 unaccompanied minors. We need to make up our minds tonight that this will be done. We cannot delay. There is no point in doing it in three weeks, a month or six weeks' time when we bow to public pressure. This needs to be done immediately. Those minors have to have somewhere to go and as Deputy Brassil said, there are many homes in this country that would welcome these minors, and it can be done successfully as I have seen in my home town.

I appeal to the Government not to dilly-dally on this issue. It is too important. We have to lead, not be led. We must do what Ireland always did and show compassion for others worse off than us.

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