Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, would like to see an urgent debate this week on the Government's plan to provide sustainable accommodation for those who come here seeking international protection. I just came from the canal earlier. Along Baggot Street Bridge, there are now 48 tents. Last week, I welcomed the multi-agency operation. I was down there to observe it. It was inhumane and unsustainable to see so many people who were then camped along the canal at Wilton Place and Percy Place. I was glad to see the Government provide alternative accommodation. Over the few days since then, we have seen more people left in the same inhumane conditions. We have seen attacks on people sleeping in tents and on volunteers helping them. I commend the amazing volunteers. We have seen the State fence off large tracts of public space along the canal. This is not sustainable. We need to hear from the Taoiseach and Ministers as to how they plan to address the issue of accommodation for those seeking international protection as a matter of urgency. We cannot see this revolving door approach in which we see week-to-week solutions that are quick fixes that fix nothing for those forced to sleep in these inhumane and unsustainable conditions.

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