Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last night, RTÉ showed "Mariupol - Unlost Hope". What struck me about this programme was the beauty of the magnificent modern city, with stunning parks, impressive architecture and town squares. It was every bit a modern European city and a thoroughly beautiful place to raise a family, live and work in a harmonious melting pot of cultures and beliefs. Heartbreaking stories were told in detail by ordinary people. I do not think anyone could remain unmoved by the plight of the Ukrainian people, particularly after viewing this programme. It should be noted that this was handled in a very sensitive and constructive way by RTÉ.

I am glad we are having this debate and that time was given to it. It is important that we continue to hold constructive and open conversations about how we are going to tackle the situation. It is also important for the Government to listen to the Opposition and those who are working in this field, who have come forward with constructive suggestions to improve the State's response.

On a personal note, my family has a very strong history of emigration and immigration. My dad, as many people know, was born and grew up in the South Bronx in New York. His parents had emigrated to New York and they always had a wish to move back to Ireland. Unfortunately, it did not work out for them but after he served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War my dad moved back to Callan, which was a bit of an adjustment, I am sure, after New York city. That is where we grew up and my sister now lives in New York. We grew up with the constant back and forth and I cannot imagine it any other way. Many people in this Chamber have that same history of emigration.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has been well and truly left holding the bag on this issue. I do not believe we are seeing the whole-of-government response we constantly hear about. It is not being experienced on the ground. The rise in right-wing protests is largely down to this complete and utter mishandling. I take this opportunity to remind people that it is not those fleeing horrific wars and situations who have caused any issues within our health services and housing. There is huge anger and frustration at the Government's handling of the situation. Unfortunately, it has joined a long litany of disastrous decisions made by this Government and previous Governments.

Much of the nexus of this can be found in the housing emergency, which has been decades in the making and has had a disastrous impact on so many people, families, communities and social groups. Everybody in this Chamber probably knows somebody directly impacted by the housing crisis. There are families in overcrowded and unsuitable accommodation, endless social housing waiting lists and exorbitant rents, to name just a few of the issues. We need the Government to finally start to take action on housing. What this crisis required, and still requires, is an escalation and focusing of minds, similar in scale to our response to Covid-19. I do not think I am alone in thinking the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has been left dealing with all of this. It has been extremely damaging to that Department.

In October last year, the Irish Refugee Council released a report on Ireland's accommodation crisis and its ability to adequately respond to the unprecedented challenges the war in Ukraine would present to Ireland over the coming months and possibly years. Its first and chief recommendation was to prioritise medium and long-term planning. Five months on from that report we are still jumping from crisis response to crisis response. The report highlighted a protection system that is in crisis. In 2022, approximately 70,000 refugees from Ukraine arrived in the State, in conjunction with a marked increase in the number of people seeking international protection from other countries. These trends have continued unabated with an additional 4,500 arriving in the State since the start of the year. Most NGOs working in that area put the figure for inward migration at about 900 people per week, which will continue.

The Government has said time and again that it is close to exhausting accommodation options yet I know of several suitable locations in my constituency. There has been huge buy-in from the local communities and in some cases they are looking forward to welcoming children into their local schools and sporting clubs. They have just not been followed up on. I imagine that is the same for nearly every Deputy in this Chamber. Obviously these locations have to be scrutinised - nobody is saying that does not need to be done - but there is no follow-up on the ground. There are several spaces in both Carlow and Kilkenny that have been visited by local authorities, where they have checked the various fire regulations and all that needs to be done. They have contacted the Department time and again with no reply. When we say one Department is not sufficient to deal with the situation, that is why. There has not been any further communication with people or organisations. It is unacceptable and it is feeding into all of that negativity.

The Irish Refugee Council highlighted in stark terms the downward trajectory we were heading on, going from the completely broken direct provision system to emergency accommodation to transit centres, where people were sleeping on floor and chairs, to tents and then to no accommodation at all. We recently reached a stage when people were handed vouchers for €25 and told "Sorry, there is no room here". We cannot allow this to become the new normal. I do not buy the suggestion that there has been a whole-of-government approach to this. The problems have remained within the confines of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, which is not equipped or empowered to address all policy areas relevant to any adequate response. My colleague Deputy Daly spoke about the White Paper on ending direct provision. Numerous organisations, including Sinn Féin, have called on the Government to recommit to implementing its recommendations. I strongly believe that when there is political will, people will mobilise to progress improvements.

We cannot continue to operate public services on a constant rolling crisis basis. Addressing this emergency requires us to develop new tools to tackle challenges. There is a wealth of expertise and experience out there. People who work in this sector are extremely frustrated that their ideas and recommendations are not being taken on board and that they are not being consulted with. They have so many good recommendations, in particular the Irish Refugee Council.

I would like to finish on a positive note. There was a very good and welcome rally in Kilkenny last Sunday. The Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, was in attendance, as well as people from People Before Profit and the Labour Party, trade unions and community groups. It was a really good and positive event. It was great to see so many people turn out. I say this because the vast majority of people want to help and be a part of a positive experience for people and they want to be welcoming. As I have already referenced, we have a very long history of emigration as far back as the 1850s and probably before, which has enriched countries, communities and families throughout the world. We have a thriving diaspora in nearly every country in the world and one that everyone is proud of. It is incumbent on all of us to welcome people, particularly the displaced and dispossessed, and provide them with an opportunity to rebuild their lives and enrich this country. The Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will be looking at this issue over the next few weeks and I encourage Deputies to attend those meetings.

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