Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, for their engagement with us on Cashel over the weekend and particularly with me last night. We have done our fair share, of course we have. The Taoiseach is making these soundings as is the Tánaiste, but we all know we just cannot cope. Why did the Government feel it necessary to send out a tweet in numerous different languages to people to come here?

We are certainly the land of the céad míle fáilte and we want to be, but when it came to Cashel especially, why displace our own homeless people by taking a hostel that is part of the Tipperary action plan for housing and for homeless people? The building is being used for that. Why is there not proper consultation? There is no consultation. Why is there not proper engagement? Surely the Minister should have checked with the county council whether it was using this facility, which it is. Now our unfortunate homeless people who were in that hostel and had been promised they could be there for the next number of weeks have all been moved out in advance of today's imminent arrival of 74 male applicants from we do not know where. It is has been very badly handled. The people are welcoming and Cashel people are welcoming, but they need to be engaged with, listened to and understood.

See this speech in context