Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, Deputy O'Rourke referred to direct provision and the targets. It is going to be extremely challenging now. It is 2022 and many people in direct provision are in a position where they are now legally resident in the State and can leave direct provision if they wish, but they are staying in it at the moment. Obviously, the wider housing issue is probably a factor in that but it is a significant point nonetheless. I stand to be corrected but I believe there are some 1,800 people who could potentially leave. They are free to leave but choose to stay. That has been the position for quite some time, even before this crisis erupted.

Examination will be given to Catherine Day's report. There are two broad issues here. A decision was taken by the Government - at the very beginning of this Government - to reorganise migration policy and action from justice to gender and equality, and that happened. That clearly has implications in that nobody anticipated the level of crisis that has subsequently occurred with the war in Ukraine and the very significant increase in those seeking international protection. This has gone way up in contrast with the previous reports we have received. We were talking about an average of 3,500 in the last report but that has all changed because of conflict in the world and a whole range of issues, from Syria, Ethiopia, climate change and so forth.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has been working flat out with the Housing for All programme, even to get to the targets we have set ourselves. This is a whole-of-government approach and has been a whole-of-government approach from the beginning in dealing with this issue.

Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue of communications, and it is a fair point. We will continue working on that to try to enhance and improve that.

Deputy Paul Murphy raised the European Union military assistance programme in Europe. I take exception to the assertions by Deputies Murphy, Boyd Barrett and Barry that somehow, the war is being used by the Government as an excuse to join NATO and to work with NATO. That is a fairly sick allegation to make.

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