Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)

I express my condemnation of the appalling attack that took place at the IPAS centre in Drogheda last week. Such acts of violence are unacceptable and have no place in any society. My thoughts are with all of those affected.

This is such an important and sensitive issue. I fully recognise the need for a robust international protection system for people fleeing war-torn regions. The global instability we have witnessed in recent years has underscored just how essential this is. At the same time, we must ensure our immigration system is fair, effective ad sustainable. That means addressing potential abuse of the system and ensuring housing, public services and infrastructure can meet demand.

Since taking office earlier this year, the Minister has done a commendable job in building and delivering a robust and rules-based immigration processing and enforcement system. The Minister and his Department are moving towards a system that is more enforcement ready, faster in its decision-making and putting a stronger emphasis on verifying and processing.

One specific point I would like to make is about deportation. My understanding is the total number of people removed by charter flights this year has come to 205 people. I recognise that the Department continues to prioritise voluntary returns. In light of recent incidents, however, there comes a time when, for a particular type of person, a deportation order must be enforced more strictly. Is the Department satisfied the voluntary returns programme is making real progress and being properly resourced, both financially and in terms of staffing capacity? The voluntary returns programme depends on people coming forward and not everyone will comply with this process. What actions is the Department taking to follow up with those who do not engage with the voluntary return programme? How do we track and enforce deportations for those who are not complying?

I welcome the debate we are having. The current system is not working as it should. Decisions are taking too long and it is proving very costly. It is clear that significant reform is needed. I hope we can move forward in delivering that reform with compassion and fairness. It is worth noting that since the Minister has taken office, there has been a 40% reduction in the numbers of people arriving here and that is a testament to that robust system the Minister is trying to enforce.

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