Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his response. I fully understand and appreciate the value of migration. His final comments address the issue I am raising, which I raised in the past with him, about the influx of people. I am not hindering their opportunity to come to Ireland but local people are extremely concerned about the numbers arriving in their small villages and towns without the support and services needed to address their care. That is happening on a wide scale around rural Ireland. It needs to be addressed. We need not mix that up; I am talking about illegal migration. I think everyone in this House knows, as does the Minister, that I have been very supportive of the Minister in his work in County Tipperary and rural Ireland. We need to address the issue of illegal migration.

Finally, there is a lot of grandstanding on this issue. I will not support a vote of no confidence in the Minister or in the Commissioner because I believe doing so would give in to the hooligans who take pleasure and delight in seeing a response to their actions.

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