Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

What we are doing is applying the laws of our land - laws which the Deputy and his party have not proposed changing, laws in relation to child protection, which I am sure he takes seriously, and laws in relation to a visa system that has to be impartial and applied. We cannot provide visas on the basis of public petition. We have to provide them on the basis of the rules. We have to address child protection. We would all love this to happen in many ways. Who would not like to help children? Of course we would, but there is a "but" here. This has to be done correctly. There are child protection requirements around visas. Everyone is talking about 33 children.

See this speech in context