Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have had a long and fractious week in the Seanad when we debated other issues. It is appropriate that we would, on this particular issue, adopt a celebratory tone. Very positive comments, generally, have been made by colleagues across the floor. I hope the amendment will not be pressed. We have had plenty of opportunity in this House to debate direct provision and we will again do so because all of us feel strongly about the matter.

On the issue of undocumented migrants, I have worked with the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland on the matter and I know many other colleagues have done the same. We will have other opportunities to speak on this matter. I note that Senator O'Keeffe has made the point that the direct provision report should be a game-changer. I hope that when it is published we will have an opportunity to debate it with the Minister of State in this House. That would be the appropriate time for us to debate the tos and fros of what reforms need to be made on direct provision.

On this occasion, we are looking at the positive benefits of integration that have resulted from inward migration to Ireland. We are commending and congratulating those involved in the PolskaÉire festival. As many have said, we hope to see its success replicated in the future. The gauntlet has been thrown to me, as somebody who is Czech-Irish, which I shall take on. I hope a CzechÉire festival will be organised in due course.

There are challenges, as in any community. Ireland has experienced quite rapid net inward migration which was partly due to the boom but it has consolidated since. Senator Hayden and others, as well as the Minister of State, spoke about the need to tackle racism. There have been some ugly incidents of racism which all of us acknowledge. It is also important to acknowledge that we have not seen the sort of vicious, organised, racist and political movements that have, most unfortunately, come forward in other European countries. We have been fortunate that has not happened and that is due to a quite a number of factors. We should cherish the absence of such a movement and the generally positive outlook extended towards people in new communities. The expression "new communities" is somewhat problematic in many ways but it is used in a positive sense which is important.

As others have said, there are challenges in terms of direct provision. Senator Conway correctly pointed out that there has been a particular drive to tackle the challenges of direct provision and to reform the system since the Minister of State has come to office. I am glad to see such a development. We all welcome the development and look forward to the report.

Clearly, undocumented migrants is a major issue. Recently the Taoiseach visited the US and spoke to President Obama about the plight of the undocumented Irish in that country. It is important that we work on the issue here and I know the Minister of State has given a personal commitment to do so. The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland has also done great work on the issue.

Other colleagues mentioned the issue of low pay for migrant workers. In fact, the Annual Monitoring Report on Integration reports generally positive outcomes for children of migrants in education in Ireland. It also reports a generally positive experience of migrant communities in employment. Many of the migrant population and new communities are engaged in highly skilled work and in well paid sectors which is important to acknowledge.

Low pay is an issue. The low pay commission established by the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Gerald Nash, has a representative from the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. SIPTU has also done a great deal of work for young migrant workers and was actively engaged in the PolskaÉire festival. I know because the matter arose at an event SIPTU organised to take place in Liberty Hall as part of the festival.

It is important to note that we are addressing the challenges. It is not that we are unaware of the challenges on both sides of the house but we need to bring a positive approach to bear. Finally, all of my colleagues who spoke were very positive about the benefits of diversity and the need to celebrate our blended identities as Polish-Irish or Czech-Irish people. As we sit here in the Seanad this evening, with a portrait by a Polish count outside the Chamber, and inside with three chandeliers made by Waterford Glass which has had such a strong input from the Czech-Irish community, it is good that we celebrate diversity, the great benefits of our new communities and of greater integration in Irish society.