Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)

The approach of this Government and the previous one to migration, and international protection in particular, has been a failure. It has failed to ensure a fair system that works. It has failed communities, which have felt ignored and not properly engaged with. While there are some good people in the system, there are nowhere near enough and the system as a whole is set up badly in terms of engagement. It has failed applicants who often end up in totally inadequate accommodation. It has profoundly failed in terms of value for money having, for far too long, relied almost exclusively on private provision leading to incredible waste and companies making huge sums. It has failed to deliver quick decisions that are in everyone's interest and has failed to ensure their enforcement. The confidence of the public and the people of Ireland has been totally lost in this respect.

The Government's policy needs to balance common sense with common decency in ensuring rules are applied. When people are not entitled to be in Ireland, the rules need to be enforced so they are returned to where they came from. Always, we must remember the human dignity of each individual, successful or not, and that each applicant is treated with respect and given adequate conditions. We have detailed much of how the system can be improved in our policy proposal, A Fair System That Works, some small elements of which have been taken on board by Government. I urge it to return to that.

I have heard a number of people in this Chamber and outside it say there is a need for a debate on this whole area. I totally agree. I have been saying that for quite some time. It is important we have a debate. It is important we have an honest and robust debate. I trust the Irish people to have that debate. I trust their ability to weigh up common sense and common decency and to analyse it with sobriety and sense. What is never acceptable, in any circumstance, are racism, xenophobia and treating people as lesser because of their skin colour or ethnicity. What is never acceptable is intimidation or violence. I take the opportunity to totally condemn the incident in Drogheda that put young people, children and a family at risk. That is never acceptable. We can and should have a debate but there is no place and no room in our society or democracy for that kind of violence, intimidation or racism.

See this speech in context