Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)

I thank the Taoiseach for the considered response. I agree with him on the need to promote the work permit scheme. Indeed, the Labour Party is looking for generosity on work permits and for a more expansive programme of legal pathways to Ireland for people who wish to bring their skills and expertise. That is a very important matter when we talk about inward migration.

For me, this is personal, as the granddaughter of a refugee who came here and contributed enormously to Irish society, as migrant communities do. We need to see political leadership. Of course the Taoiseach is right that there are people seeking to stoke anti-migrant sentiment - a small number of people on the far right - but we need political leadership to counter that. That is why in my constituency I have initiated Dublin 4 and Dublin 6 for All groups. People are welcoming. Across Ireland we are seeing that, but there needs to be political leadership to ensure people can express that welcome and host welcome meetings for new IPAS centres in their communities, as we are doing in Dublin Bay South.

We need this at a national level and we need leadership on this from the Government, and not the sense that rhetoric and policies are hardening. Unfortunately, that has been the experience recently.

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