Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party) | Oireachtas source

I have been listening to the debate and it is regrettable that we only have an hour for it, because it is a very important issue. We all admit that there is a crisis in Ukraine and a huge crisis at home. I am reminded of the words of George Orwell in Animal Farm, published in 1945, that "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." The means test has to be introduced. Last week, in this House, the Tánaiste admonished me - I think he thought he was in the Chair - for one simple question I asked. Now we have a situation where I am asking another question. The Tánaiste said on record in this House that most Ukrainians are working and contributing to society and that all the Ukrainians he knows are working. If that is the case, why are we delivering free money? Why are we not means testing? What about the Ukrainians who came here but not from Ukraine? Nobody is asking the hard questions that we ask ordinary Irish citizens and everybody else. If someone comes from a war-torn area of Ukraine, of course, we need to help them. That is our job as human beings. However, if someone has come from Italy, say, having lived there for a number of years and is now availing of the schemes in Ireland, that is completely wrong. Nobody is asking those questions. They are simple questions that we would expect everybody to answer. It is great to see that we €800 available for the ARP, but where is the €800 for the 15,000 Irish people, including 4,000 children who are homeless and on the streets tonight? We have to be fair. The disparity is being brought about by the Government. I am generally fond of the Minister and I think she is a good Minister but the disparity that was introduced by the previous Government and that is being continued by this one is not acceptable. We have to means test people. It is only right that everybody is treated equally. If everyone is treated equally, that means that everybody should be means tested.

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