Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputies Pringle and Joan Collins. I understand the Minister of State has a difficult job to do and my comments are not directed at him personally. Direct provision was introduced as an emergency measure 20 years ago in 1999. It not only continues but has been embedded as a permanent structure. They are not my words but those of the Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon. He said:

"While we can, and will, do everything we can to raise awareness of the issues and improve living standards for people in the Direct Provision, Government must consider the long term future of this system. As the 20th anniversary of Direct Provision approaches, it is now time to consider alternatives and bring an end to this emergency measure."

I endorse those comments. The Minister began his contribution with some good points but figures and facts are notably lacking from it. Deputy Howlin cited 39 direct provision centres. I have a figure of 38 and other Members have others. The system is surrounded by secrecy. We have the direct provision centres and then we have the people in emergency hotels. We do not know those figures. I would have thought, in the interest of openness and accountability, that the Minister would have set all of that out in his contribution. There is a feeling that giving information will make matters worse and I am of a completely different persuasion. Information is empowering and enabling; that is what we need. The figures are not overwhelming. What is overwhelming, as was said earlier by Deputy Martin Kenny, is the privatisation of the system and the profit being made by companies and hotels. That is what is shocking. I welcome the statement that the Minister welcomes ideas from us. I think that is a start. It has never once been said by any Minister for Justice and Equality and certainly not by the Department, otherwise known as the Department of secrecy. They certainly never put their hands out and said they have obligations nationally and internationally and they want our help. Even at what I described as the worst meeting of my life in Oughterard, people came up to me and said they would give the shirt off their backs. The challenge is to take that at its best and say, "Yes, we want to work with them."

The system has gone on too long. Deputy Bríd Smith referred to the background. This has been the greatest displacement of people since the Second World War. Approximately 65 million people have been displaced. In our country we are talking taking in tiny numbers as though they were impossible. It is important to give the figures. My colleague from Galway West has a habit of giving the wrong figures or choosing figures to suit an argument. In 2017, there were 2,926 additional asylum seekers. That increased to 3,673 in 2018 and, up to the end of September 2019, the figures I have are 3,762 in addition to the number who were here. It is hardly overwhelming. Part of the problem is that the system is not fit for purpose. It has gone on too long. People with refugee status are in direct provision centres but cannot get out. That is almost half the number of those in emergency accommodation. There are solutions to this.

I have ten seconds left and I am going to use them to deplore the question asked with a particular purpose by Deputy Grealish in the Chamber. It is step two in what seems to be an orchestrated campaign.

See this speech in context