Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for her question. Her taking us through that is a reminder of the scale of challenge and crises that not just Ireland but the world has gone through. If any one of these things had happened in somebody's lifetime in the past, it would have been viewed as extraordinary. We have had financial crises, the global pandemic, the impact of Brexit on our country, very significant migration flows and, of course, war on the Continent of Europe again. We are living through truly extraordinary times which, of course, brings challenge. I also welcome that we have an independent Covid evaluation which is very important. Even though I can point to the fact that I am proud of a lot of the work this country did - I do not mean the Government, but the people of Ireland, including clinicians - of course we always have to better prepare, evaluate and be best prepared for the next pandemic. That can only be a good thing.

On the Deputy's comments on migration, I always say and I believe that we need a fair and firm system. The Irish people are fair and want to be compassionate. We know the benefits of migration. This country is better as a result of immigration. The Deputy referenced hospital waiting lists. I shudder to think how high they would be if we did not have so many people coming from abroad, working in our health service, including in our hospitals. The same is true right across the economy and I know the Deputy knows that too. At the same time, we have to know that there are rules, that the rules are applied and that systems are efficient. Deportation is a part of any system. If somebody does not have a right to be here, they need to be asked to leave in the first instance and they have to leave. That is an important part of the integrity of any migration system.

The Deputy's broader point is a good one. With so many crises and challenges that face our world, including our country today, not working in silos is really important. Not just this Government, but governments in general are designed with the department of this and the department of that and everybody works in their own way. We have been working very hard to try to breakdown those silos and see how Government can collaborate more across important thematic areas. I give the one example of infrastructure delivery, which I know is an important issue in Meath and across the country. Setting up a new unit in the Department of public expenditure and reform to drive infrastructure delivery will be really important. For similar reasons the housing activation office is also important. As I said earlier, we cannot get into "pen pals international" where State agencies just keep writing letters to each other. We need to second people from the ESB, Irish Water and the local authorities, and get them around the table together in a housing activation unit and ask, "How can we get that site over there which could have homes for young people who want to get out of the boxroom?" How can we get those homes built and build them more quickly? Government is making a number of efforts in line with the programme for Government to try to accelerate delivery particularly in the area of infrastructure. That new infrastructure delivery unit along with the new housing activation office are two practical examples of how we move forward.

In the brief time available to me, I want to reference the child poverty unit, a crosscutting unit that enables us to look at the issue of child poverty and recognise it does not fall into any one Department but many Departments and many State agencies pulling together.

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