Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 1:

After "build positive linkages to the benefit of all" to insert the following:

"further calls on the Government to:

— appoint a dedicated Minister for Immigration and Integration to lead a whole of Government approach to migrant integration, and the provision of emergency accommodation and services;

— ensure that, when new accommodation and reception centres are being opened, access to healthcare, education, transport and other services are co-ordinated in parallel, with adequate resourcing provided;

— convene a Government-led conference at national level as part of the development of a new National Integration Strategy, and hold open workshops in local communities across the country;

— deliver on the recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on ending Direct Provision;

— roll out dedicated information campaigns to inform communities of what actions the State is taking, of the positive aspects of migration, and to debunk myths and misinformation;

— provide a substantial increase in the funding allocated to the National Integration Fund 2023, and invest in community and volunteer groups providing crucial local supports;

— fully resource the National Action Plan against Racism, and pass the long-awaited Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022;

— reduce the waiting time to work for those in international protection from six to three months, and speed up the processing of asylum applications;

— work with social partners, and in particular trade unions, to ensure migrants are supported in the workplace to tackle exploitation and know their rights, and resource a dedicated programme of Workplace Relations Commissions inspectors to protect migrant workers from work-based discrimination;

— provide gradual mobility for general employment permit holders, family reunion rights, fair immigration fees and an ongoing mechanism for undocumented people to regularise their immigration status; and

— change the law to provide citizenship for those born here as outlined in Labour's Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018 [Seanad].".

One could reduce this motion from the Rural Independent Group to two phrases: be afraid of the outsider; vote for me. This is lowest common denominator politics from a lowest common denominator political grouping. I am used to hearing the rhetoric from the Rural Independents in regards to immigration and I am used to being disgusted by it.

The issue with the Rural Independents is they are not used to being challenged; they think they can say what they want where they want in whatever way they want. As soon as one challenges them, they seek legal advice, which is what a coward does. A coward reaches for the legal advice when you challenge him or her on the facts.

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