Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Apologies. Fundamentally, there are two key messages that Ireland needs to send out. The first is that relating to how we view immigration. The response must not be that immigration is a problem. The EU needs to send a signal from the top that immigration is something with which it, as a huge body, can deal in a calm and responsible way. When we held our referendum on citizenship , we discovered that when immigration is used as a political calling card, it leads to consequences and to direct racism within the classroom. The position in the US is similar, where Latino children are being subjected to racism in the classroom. The key message needs to be a positive one in respect of migration. Ireland can lead in this regard by promoting a positive message on migration. We also need to show that Europe is responsive with regard to some of the issues, such as TTIP-----