Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

This motion is nothing but fake concern. It has no solutions. We have seen a chaotic response to increased numbers of asylum seekers and refugees. We have a failing health system, a failing housing market, and failing services. If the Government thinks it is dealing with the homelessness for people in Ireland, Ukrainians, and IPAS arrivals, I would hate to see what failure looks like. However, these attempts to point the finger of blame at powerless people rather than at those in power, lets the successive Governments that introduced neoliberal policies of privatisation and austerity, off the hook. This motion does not call for increased services. It does not call for a single euro of extra funding for local communities, for a single house to be built, or a single extra nurse, doctor, or teacher. There is no call for a plan to support communities; nothing for community centres, schools, libraries, or local healthcare centres; and no extra resources for any community or area facing an increased demand on services due to the arrival of asylum seekers or refugees, or new developments in communities. I get the anxiety in the country. I deal with people every day who are dealing with homelessness, overcrowding, low wages, decades on the housing lists, or years on a waiting list for medical care. This motion has no solutions for those people. It points the finger at refugees instead of at the failures of our political system to build a decent standard of living and decent public services in this country.

The solution is more services, more hospital beds and more public housing. It is scrapping our low tax rates on the rich and putting funding back into our public services. It is a State construction company to build houses, schools, hospitals and local resources. I support the recent call from a Jesuit organisation for a NPHET-type organisation to co-ordinate accommodation. I would broaden that to the homeless and anyone else needing accommodation in Ireland. Would the Rural Independent Group support that call?

Sleeping on the streets is shameful for anybody, Irish or refugee. The Government will not provide the houses, the hospitals and the decent standard of living everyone in this country needs. This motion will not provide that. The far right will not provide it. Only a mass movement of working people will provide it.

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