Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)

Migration must be managed in the context of Ireland. We should not simply allow it to be determined by global and domestic market forces. The Government must manage migration in a fair, efficient and enforced manner that has the best interests of the people of Ireland front and centre. The Government must consider Ireland's needs in terms of workers for key sectors such as health. I visited Galway hospital last year. I did not see one Irish person working there and I could not have been looked after better. The healthcare that was provided to me was very good.

We must also put this into the context of the housing capacity and the capacity of public services. The reason we have capacity problems in housing, health and public services falls squarely on the shoulders of successive Governments, not on those who are coming to this country to make a better life for themselves. It suits governments if certain sectors of society point to migration as the cause of our problems, because it lets them off the hook. Let me be clear: it is not migrants who cause the problems that we face today in housing, health and in other services; it is successive Governments. While the problems remain in housing and public services, migration must be managed in that context. People who arrive on these shores seeking international protection, and who have a right to be here, should be given every opportunity the State can afford so they can make a positive contribution to society. However, if people arrive at these shores seeking international protection but they do not have the right to remain, they should be returned to where they came from as safely and quickly as possible. This is where the Government has failed. It takes too long to make decisions. It does not enforce deportation orders.

When the Government is considering IPAS centre locations, it must consider the current pressures on services in the area. The Government must communicate directly with communities, which should not find out about proposed IPAS centres from national newspapers. Likewise, TDs like me should not find out from national newspapers. As the Minister will be aware, that is exactly what happened with Citywest. I doubt Citywest will be the last public IPAS centre in the State. The Government must learn from this mistake so that communities know in advance.

I have spoken to the Minister about this privately. The Government must also keep its promises to the people of Saggart. That means no increase in the number of people seeking international protection being based in Citywest; a quicker decision-making process; no plans to develop the cemetery; the gym and the restaurant must remain open for the people of Saggart and;there should be better services for Saggart and ongoing communication with residents. If the Government fails the people of Saggart and it fails to keep its promises, the Minister will find it even more difficult to open any more public IPAS centres in other communities across the State.

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