Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will ask the Minister about co-operation between Departments to support communities where refugees have arrived. Ballaghaderreen in my constituency is a prime example. More than 400 refugees and international protection families have arrived since 2017. This is a small, rural town that has seen zero supports and nothing additional for it. There are issues around healthcare and education, and additional resources are needed for the likes of the local family resource centre. This is not fair to the refugees who are arriving or on those already living in the town. I cannot understand why Departments cannot all do their bit in providing additional resources.

In 2017, a healthcare professional was to be put in what is called the Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre, EROC, in Ballaghaderreen to assist with Syrian refugees. That never happened. The promise was broken. There are two GPs in the town who are running waiting lists and cannot cope. I cannot understand why we just let this mess happen when Departments should step up. If they did so, we would avoid all the frustration in these towns.

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