Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to voice my views on the EU migration pact and will do my very best in my limited time as I have a lot to say on the matter. It is completely disingenuous of the Government to steamroll ahead with a single vote on this pact. There is no need for that, it has the public's back up and I take real issue with that.

One point has been completely lost by the Government. It is abundantly clear, much the same as the recent referendum, that the heels have been dug in and there is no sign that the Government wants to work collectively in this House on the issue of migration. At the same time, it is speaking to the need to work on this issue collectively in the EU. That seems hypocritical and sends a loud message that has been resounding for the past two years.

I called for increased engagement with communities. Instead it seemed that such a small but significant step, which is vitally important for integration, was too much to cope with and too big of an ask. Instead, it was considered fair to put vulnerable people in rural and peripheral rural parts of Clare into towns and villages with high levels of deprivation, a lack of employment opportunities and with reduced or non-existent public services - I am referring to very basic public services. It was a case of out of sight, out of mind. The Government pitted vulnerable people against each other, who then felt they had more competition to fight against. That is exactly what has unfolded. That was dangerous and anything but fair.

The truth is that the Government has lost credibility and has not demonstrated its capability to deliver accommodation in this never-ending housing crisis. Can it respect that this affects trust, confidence, social cohesion and attitudes towards migration? I will not support the EU migration pact. I want to briefly mention communities in Clare which have done amazing work in assisting and supporting people with very little support from this Government.

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