Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

When did the committee on immigration last meet? What is the current capacity within the Department to deal adequately with the scale of the crisis? Do we need a new unit in the Department to work specifically on integration and on supporting refugees as they arrive here? Many of us who are dealing with the issue in our constituencies were surprised to learn that many hotels that and offered accommodation during the crisis have not received payment. We are again having the horrendous situation arise whereby people are being placed in tents when that should not be the case. How has that happened? Does the Taoiseach feel that too much responsibility has been placed on a single Department and that we need to work more collaboratively across Departments or have specific units with full responsibility for refugee integration and engagement in order that we stop seeing a recurrence of problems such as invoices not being met, people being asked to sleep in tents and accommodation not being provided for those who come here seeking sanctuary, which is abominable? How is this happening? What can we do better as we move into the second year of this crisis?

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