Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)

We need workers in this country from different countries. We need to simplify the process, under the enterprise system, for those coming through. A lot of businesses are looking for and need workers, including hospitals and hospitality. We need doctors, nurses, and nursing home workers. There is not one person in the country who disputes that.

No one could condone what we witnessed the other night in Drogheda, or any gardaí getting hurt. It was despicable. I want to be very clear on that. There is a fact, however, that I also want to talk about. It is not acceptable if somebody comes into the country and basically gets rid of their paperwork, to put it very simply. It is not a thing where we would be able to stop people coming into the country via Northern Ireland and southern Ireland, but the bottom line is that we should have a process whereby within the first six weeks, a decision should be made on whether the person can stay. We should have a section in the courts so if the person wanted to go to the courts, he or she can deal with the courts and go through the different process. The whole process should be finished inside six months. When that is done and once that decision is made, if a person is staying they are staying if a decision is made that way. However, if a person is to be deported it should not be a case of "Rock on and whenever you get chance, head off". We need to tighten that system up whether we like it or not. In fairness to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, he stood up and now it is way better than what was going on before. It is despicable that somebody who has been in the country for six years has not been processed. This is not acceptable either to the person who comes in or to the State's system. It is not working, to put it simply.

I ask the Government to be fair to everyone but the one thing it has to do is when it makes a decision, it makes a decision. A lot of people are chancing their arm coming into this country; let no one say there is not. People are sick of what is going on.

I also ask the Minister of State about the courts system and whether a new system has to be set up. I know this takes resources and it takes more money-----

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