Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not need an oral reply; I will accept a written one.

I join others in expressing my appreciation of An Garda Síochána in the manner gardaí have deported themselves in dealing with the community, involving themselves with the community and supporting the community along with all other members of the public services who have been on the front line for the past two or three months. We greatly appreciate what they have done, and I hope we will remember it.

That is in dramatic contrast to the disgraceful scenes we have witnessed in the United States where it would appear the 1950s and 1960s seem to be still with us regarding prejudice, racism and all that goes with it, and the suspicion and violence that follows it. It is no harm to reflect on that. It could happen anywhere. We all know people who say "I am not a racist, but..." even in our own society. The "but" is what alerts me to what might follow.

Time and attention have been given to direct provision in recent times, which is as it should be.

Many efforts have been made to provide adequate direct provision and accommodation for refugees, as it should be. Those efforts have not always been greeted with full support, however. There have been several disgraceful scenes throughout the country where there were indications that perhaps the support that one would have liked was not there. This comes about as a result of what we have seen on our television screens right across Europe, when children have been washed up on shores and people have said "No", that refugees cannot come there, there is no space and they do not want them. I do not wish to have a written reply, but at a later stage we should have a debate on this very important issue.

My last point concerns organised crime and the drugs business, which has already been mentioned. I believe there is no way to deal with that issue through the community. The kingpins of the organised criminal gangs have to be put behind bars, and whatever legislation is required to do that should be undertaken without delay.

See this speech in context