Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the background, but I already have the background. I am specifically asking about this scheme because it was in addition to the other schemes that were already in existence. The uptake relating to those schemes was extremely low. This specific scheme was introduced after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. I have 40 seconds to speak. I am not going to go into what has been done in Afghanistan by the Taliban in respect of women and children, the lack of education and violence and killings. This scheme was a specific response by our country to say that we will take in up to 500, but we have not taken in a single person. Between 22 November and 25 November, we finally approved 22 applications. Have any of the people to whom they relate arrived in Ireland? Am I wrong to say that not a single person or family has arrived in Ireland under this scheme that will be a year old on 16 December, despite our commitment to do something in response to what happened in Afghanistan?

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