Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is what is important in politics.

Second, Christmas is coming and the Seanad has discussed homelessness and various other challenges many citizens face. However, another group in society in Ireland are those people in direct provision who will spend a further Christmas in that system as a result of Government inaction. I sincerely hope this will be the last Christmas in which people will suffer in direct provision centres. However, those people who run the direct provision centres will have a great Christmas because recent media reports suggest they are making an absolute fortune. I ask the Deputy Leader to request the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, to carry out an investigation to ascertain exactly the degree or level of profits these concerned are making. Much has been privatised with which I do not agree and for example, I refer to the shambolic mess that was made of privatising Eircom. However, privatising the treatment of human beings is a completely different matter. I believe the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, must be brought back into this House after Christmas to find out what progress he has made in dealing with the absolute obscenity that is direct provision.