Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is important that this House talks about migration because there is a conversation taking place in every community, possibly around every dinner table, and we know that some of that conversation has been influenced by distortion and exaggeration and, in some instances, downright lies that have been disseminated by what can only be described as nasty actors, particularly online. We must acknowledge, though, that there are genuine concerns within our communities. I know that some fear that any public acknowledgement of those concerns would encourage or strengthen those nasty actors, but I have to say that the vast majority of people who raise the issue of migration with me are not nasty or racist.

The concerns they have raised with me relate primarily to the crises in housing, healthcare and community safety. In each of those instances, the cause is not migrants, and it is the parties of Government that have actually made these crises worse. People who speak with me are not anti-migrant. Most of them were migrants themselves, or their family members were among the millions of Irish people who went abroad in search of a better life, and they have welcomed those who have come to Ireland in recent times for the exact same reason. They expect those who come to Ireland to be treated the same and to have the same rights and responsibilities that we would expect Irish people to have in the many countries that our people move to. They want a fair immigration system with well-functioning rules and regulations that everyone understands, one that serves the interests of all the people who call Ireland home. That is Sinn Féin's position also, not open borders, as some have suggested.

The overwhelming majority of those who come here, whether because of EU free movement, permit schemes or through the international protection system, contribute positively to our society. They make Ireland a better place and they should be treated with respect. If anyone breaches that respect by breaking the law, then he or she should no longer be entitled to remain in Ireland, and we should all be comfortable in saying that, knowing, as we do, that we are referring to a tiny minority of those involved.

People have a right under international law to seek protection and Ireland has an obligation to treat those who do so with compassion and respect while their application is being decided. However, it has to be said that the process currently takes far too long to conclude. Some applicants wait years, which is unfair to them, but it also adds to the sense that the system is broken. If an applicant is not entitled to asylum, then, of course, he or she should leave. There is a problem when the Government cannot outline how many people have actually left when deportation orders have issued. The failure to plan to manage these issues effectively and the two-tier approach that has been adopted has now led to some vulnerable people being handed a sleeping bag and told to live on the street. That is disgraceful. There is a clear capacity issue that the Government does not seem to see. Again, the fault lines for these issues lie not at the doors of migrants but at the door of the Government, but that does not mean that we pretend they are not there.

We must also acknowledge that the failure to engage with local communities on the location of international emergency accommodation has made problems worse. People do get angry that some private individuals are making an awful lot of money from the system while the local community feels that it is being left without the supports they need. That needs to change. Our migration systems need to be fair and compassionate. When they are, Irish people will be accommodating and welcoming.

We know that because we have seen it in our own communities, in every city, town and village, over recent years. The recent increases in racist incidents are deplorable and must be challenged by everyone in this House. However, we must also accept that there are concerns and that all of us in political life have an obligation to listen to those concerns. If we do listen to those concerns and act in a compassionate and fair way, we can resolve the issues that have been raised.

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