Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get an opportunity to talk on this topic. We have had direct provision centres in Killarney and Kenmare for many years. Many of these people have come and gone. They have moved on. I have a problem when too many of them are crammed in together, which is something I have seen. Some of the situations are very tough. Problems arise when a whole family is put into a room. The Minister of State needs to cut his cloth to suit to his measure. If he tries to bring too many of them together in one place, the local services will be unable to cater for the people who are already there and the people who are coming. In such circumstances, there will not be adequate provision for anyone.

We need to discuss how these people can be managed fairly and humanely. I have had conversations and I have helped various people along the way. The big problem for many of them is that they have nothing to do. Many of them would like to work. That is another issue and another problem. Discussions are needed when it is proposed to bring big groups of people into small rural places. Problems will arise if there are not enough doctors or schools. It is not just about acquiring a building, putting a lot of people into it and saying they will be all right. That is not fair on the immigrants who are coming or on the communities they are arriving into.

We have multidenominational people from all over the world in Killarney. I have to mention the Bangladeshi people who are playing a positive role in the town. They are working and living in the community. Many of them came around 1998 and are proud to be Irish citizens now. They say "I am a Kerryman". They are playing their part. They love to work. They are positive in the community. I have to praise them as highly as I can because they are great people. These very good men, women and children are playing an important role in Killarney.

There is one other problem. We are talking about bringing people into local areas, but the opposite is happening as well. People who have jobs and skills are being sent home even though their employers want to keep them. It is very wrong that they are being shoved out. I know three of them at the present time. Their employers want to keep them, but they are not being allowed to stay. It is hard to understand what is going on when things like that are happening. There should be some facility to try to assist those people to remain. It should be done more quickly than at present. I know an employer who has said he cannot replace a man if he is deported. There is a need. They do a certain kind of work. They have certain kinds of skills. Those people should get the chance to remain.

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