Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Does the Minister agree that the conditions these children face are horrific? Their parents are not allowed to work and they do not have cooking facilities or live in an ordinary family environment. They are being institutionalised from a young age, potentially for quite a long time. According to the 2015 HIQA report, 14% of children have been referred to child protection services compared to a national average of 1.6%.

I do not think more money is the answer. However, when the direct provision charge payment amounts to €93 per month compared to €140 for child benefit - two-thirds of the payment - one has to ask why they are being treated differently. Are they being treated as though they are equivalent to two-thirds of the children entitled to child benefit?

Speaking in the Seanad recently, the Minister said he had not heard a credible alternative. The credible alternative is to abolish direct provision, give people the right to work and allow people to access homes on the same basis as anybody else in the State.

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