Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

We need the Minister to come in urgently to outline the Government's plans when it comes to housing asylum seekers and Ukrainians across this country. What we have seen over recent days is a ripping up of Government policy. We have seen U-turn after U-turn, which will make it nearly impossible for the Government to house refugees when they come into this country seeking refuge. I also remind the Minister that 600 very vulnerable men are on our streets in sub-zero temperatures who have no protections from the State. She is legally and morally obliged to provide them with protection. I ask the Minister to explain exactly what her policy is because it is in complete disarray. Even her own party colleagues do not know what the policy is. We need to understand it. We need to know exactly what the Government is doing. Where is the strategy and the long-term planning? It is way beyond time for this Government to put in a medium- to long-term plan to deal with this issue.

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