Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. As the Minister has said, the International Protection Office has been present on Mount Street for more than 20 years. I have been a Deputy since 2016 and there has never really been any issue with the office operating there, except over the past 18 months. What has happened is that, as we are all aware, the number of people applying for international protection has increased significantly. Until the office in Citywest was opened, everyone was applying for international protection at Mount Street. It put extraordinary pressure on the office. It is objectively fair to say that demonstrably the office was not able to cope with the number of people applying there. As a consequence, we have had a situation developing over the past 18 months when tents were being pitched in the vicinity of the office. I have enormous sympathy for the people who are seeking international protection but as a TD for the area I must also speak out for the residents and the businesses. I ask the Minister to give consideration to opening other offices so the pressure is taken off Mount Street a bit.

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