Seanad debates
Wednesday, 27 November 2002
Report on Immigration Policy: Statements.
I agree with the idea that the Department of Foreign Affairs should have overall responsibility for such immigration matters. I wish to pay tribute to the agencies that have been involved through the Department of Foreign Affairs, particularly DÍON, and its predecessor, the Committee on Welfare Services Abroad, on which I was honoured to serve for five years. At the time, I had severe difficulties with the Minister, Deputy Quinn, who was in charge. I thought he had emasculated the original aims of COWSA, as it was known, but DÍON has proven its worth since 1983. One can see from the detail of the report that it has been doing excellent work with the money provided by the Government.
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