Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

Twenty nine per cent of our total immigration figures last year came from international protection, or 18,561. The Deputy has not done so today, but I reject the argument made by some in recent days that international protection is an incidental part of this conversation. I reject that; it is not. When we consider that there were 18,561 applications for international protection in 2004 and that more than 80% of applications so far this year have been rejected in the first instance, we have a challenge there. We can debate the statistics and-----

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