Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate. Yesterday while driving home I was listening to a very interesting programme on Newstalk. It was hosted by Mr. Barry Whyte who visited a lot of direct provision centres around the country. I commend him on the balanced approach he took to the issue. Most people in the media want a row. All they want is the worst case scenario. They want to make a row about what is a very delicate and worrying situation. Displaced people from all over the world are seeking international protection in Ireland. As many of the previous speakers said, Irish people have emigrated all over the world and now we find ourselves in a situation where we are offering international protection to others.

I have tried to find solutions to the many questions posed regarding education and the numbers being accommodated in various towns. Issues have arisen in Rooskey, Ballinamore and Ballaghderreen and people have expressed the concern that the main motivation for some is profit. They are concerned that people are offering accommodation for profit but are not providing the best service. I am not saying that this is a knee-jerk reaction. We are trying to live up to our obligations as a State and are relying on others to provide accommodation, some of whom view this as a commodity. They are providing a service that is evaluated by various Departments but the State could do more to provide accommodation itself. I know that it is very difficult for us to meet our obligations but we need to do more work in this area.

Reference was made to Oughterard, Ballinamore and other areas. When the centre was being opened in the hotel in Ballaghderreen some politicians got it wrong. The citizens of Ballaghderreen came out and warmly welcomed the Syrian people who came to their town. It has worked out very well. The citizens of Ballinamore are no different from the citizens of Ballaghderreen. However, they felt that the model was wrong and that those involved were motivated by profit. We must try to come up with a solution that accommodates people seeking international protection while also allaying the fears of local communities. As Senator Higgins rightly pointed out, misinformation can spread quickly but we must try to allay the fears of local communities.

I thank the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Minister of State for listening to the various groups involved in recent years and for trying to come up with a solution. We must consider alternative methods of delivering accommodation for displaced people from all over the world. As has been discussed, tenders are being submitted by private companies and there is a lack of transparency in the process. We have to work with the people who are proposing to provide accommodation, without whom the State would be in even greater difficulty. That said, we need to examine different aspects of the process. Again, I thank the Minister and Minister of State for sitting down and trying to iron out the difficulties. We must resolve these difficulties to the satisfaction of displaced people who are seeking protection in Ireland. We must do better in the coming weeks, months and years.