Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate Deputy Lowry's bona fides in this matter. It is important to say that people who come to Ireland to seek international protection are not necessarily here illegally. Under our laws, people can seek international protection in Ireland and their status only becomes illegal when their application has been refused and a deportation issued. It is important that people do not conflate those seeking international protection with people who are here illegally. It is not the same thing.

On what the Deputy said about people's concerns, I understand and appreciate those concerns. I know them from my constituency and from around the country. When a large number of people from any background are accommodated in your parish, town or village, of course there will be concerns about the impact on education, law and order and health.

Yes, we need to respond to that. We have established community engagement programmes to give people proper information about what is happening. We have the community-----

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