Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)

Sometimes, politics is not just about what you say and how you say it. It is also about what you do not say. What I have not heard today from the Minister, or anyone in the Chamber, is that compared with most other European countries Ireland has a relatively normal level, or even low level, of migration, particularly on the international protection side of things, at 1.2% of all applicants across the EU. The reason it does not feel like that to many people out there is that the Government has completely failed to put in the services and resources to ensure there is sufficient, proper and inclusive integration of people when they come to this country. That is why it feels so significant to so many communities out there. The Government was not prepared.

The reality is Ireland is a very wealthy country and migration will continue to be a feature of our lives, but the Government has failed to forward plan and make sure we are in a position to do that. What that failure means now is that in the country we love, and where we are so proud of the welcomes we provide, we are changing. An element of change is coming into our country. We are seeing people being attacked because of the colour of their skin, their accent, what they are wearing, or if they have dark hair or dark eyes. That is not the type of country we want to be. We want to be an inclusive, welcoming and fair country but what we are turning into, because of the Government's policies and those of previous Governments, is a country living in fear. We will be very divided. This will not get better and the Minister shaking his head will not help.

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