Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Has the sub-committee discussed the question of unaccompanied children in Calais? As the Taoiseach knows, given that I raised the issue with him last week, there have been discussions with the Business Committee and so on, and a specific request from the Not On Our Watch group that 200 unaccompanied children who are in serious danger and are very vulnerable are taken in by Ireland. There are well over 1,000 young people in the jungle in Calais. This is against a background where thousands of unaccompanied children have disappeared, hundreds from Calais itself. Has the sub-committee made a decision on whether it will accede to the request that we tell the French authorities we will take in 200 children?

I have seen the draft motion from the Government. It is vague and makes no specific reference to numbers, commitments or anything like it. It is all about considering this and that. That is not what we asked for. Having consulted with the Not On Our Watch group, I can now signal that an amendment will be tabled in the next hour or two unless the Government is willing to make specific commitments. An e-mail was sent to the Government stating what is required for the motion to get all-party support. I want a direct answer from the Taoiseach.

In the United States a President who plans to shut the door on children and immigrants from war zones has been elected. A disgraceful and utterly racist policy has been articulated by the new President of the United States. There is no time more appropriate for us to send a message in the opposite direction, namely that this country will open its arms and doors to young, vulnerable children whose lives and safety are at risk and send a message to Mr. Trump that we are not going along with his nasty vilification of desperately vulnerable people. Will the Taoiseach tell us the position of the Government and Cabinet Committee on European Affairs on taking in 200 unaccompanied children?

See this speech in context