David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I cannot understand the calls from some to simply abolish a system that provides a guarantee of shelter, food and a place of safety to any person who arrives spontaneously to seek protection, which is what our current system does. Significant work has been done in recent years to improve the system, including the implementation of the McMahon report, the introduction of the right to work and providing the Ombudsman and Ombudsman for Children with access to the centres to further support residents. National standards were published recently, which will be legally binding and subject to monitoring and inspection from January 2021.

Neither I nor the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, want to see people in emergency accommodation. Nobody wants that. We are working very hard to move people out of emergency accommodation and into dedicated centres as quickly as possible. Senator Ó Donnghaile said that it is wrong for people to be moved from one centre or hotel to another without notice. That is wrong, and I have instructed that it should not happen. It may have happened once or twice but I do not want it happening anymore.