Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to take this opportunity to thank all the healthcare workers who work in our healthcare system, including all the front-line workers, from the cleaners to the consultants.I thought of them very much this week. I also heard the shocking story this week of two women care workers who worked in a nursing home throughout the pandemic and have been denied leave to remain in Ireland. These are healthcare workers being sent from Ireland in the middle of a pandemic. It is absolutely ridiculous. These women put their lives on the line in this country. If that does not show determination and commitment to this country, what does? Despite this they were told to leave voluntarily or face deportation, according to RTÉ. We stood outside in March to clap for our healthcare workers, including migrant healthcare workers. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste also stood and clapped for all healthcare workers, including migrant healthcare workers. I call on the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and Ministers for Health and Justice to be supportive of all our healthcare workers, including migrant workers, to work with migrants who are treated as lesser people in the Irish system and to ensure they are not deported from the country during this time and are granted leave to remain. Those who live here belong here. Migrants make this country a better place.