Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government refers to a balanced migration policy and the possible introduction of a residency reform Bill. We are taking hardly any refugees as it stands. In the case of those we have taken, the Minister's Government maintains the scandal of 4,300 people, of whom 1,600 children, in 34 centres, living in what can only be described as hell. The last Government promised reform in this regard. When will we end the horror of direct provision and realise that in future this State will have to answer to people in the same way it has to answer to those who were in mother and baby homes in the past? When will we end the scandal of people living on €19 per week, not being allowed to cook their own food and not being allowed to work or progress to third level education, which is a slap in the face for young people in particular?

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