Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

A headline in the Irish Independentlast Monday morning read, "Migrants from countries other than Ukraine adding to pressure on homeless supports, housing minister warns". Imagine if a few of the words in that were switched around in order that the headline stated, "Migrants from countries other than Ukraine adding to pressure on homeless supports, Le Pen warns". That would fit perfectly well. The Minister is directly quoted in the article, and the headline does not jar in any way with the content of what he said. Unless the direct quotes in the newspaper article are made up or false, that headline reflects what the Minister said.

The Minister and his Government colleagues have been given a number of opportunities in the House this week to step back and distance themselves from what was said. When the Minister was asked yesterday and earlier in this debate, which I did not see it but I have listened to the comments here, there was a vigorous shaking of the head. The Taoiseach was asked about that by my colleague, Deputy Boyd Barrett, yesterday. People should have a look at what the Taoiseach said in reply; he completely sidestepped the question.

This is not good enough. There is no place for comments of that nature. The Minister and the Taoiseach should face up to that and accept that if a mistake was made, then what was said should be retracted. Trying to shimmy out of it will not wash. No one group of vulnerable or homeless people should be picked out in this way. We are watching very carefully what Ministers say on this question from here on in. There were other points I wanted to make about a situation in Cork but I have 20 seconds left and I have approximately a minute and a half of points to make on it. I will leave it at that.

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