Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As one of the three most senior people in government, I need to outline to the Minister the experience I am having on the ground in respect of transport and other areas as well. We have children who cannot get to school places. If they get a school place, they are not able to get to the schools. We do not have a co-ordinated response on that which is a problem today. The remedies the Minister has outlined will take a few weeks to roll out or be delivered and that is being optimistic. However, we have problems today.

There are social protection schemes but we do not have means to get these people into Intreo centres. We are having to organise Citizens Information staff to visit reception centres to talk to people. We have health issues. We do not have access to primary care. GPs are unable to take people on. Certain schools are not taking people. The Minister talks about a whole-of-government response but we are not seeing that on the ground. I am not trying to score points here. This is the reality I am experiencing.

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