Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I show my solidarity with the Ukrainian people, those who are fleeing war and Russian aggression and those who are still in their country. I am very proud of our country. I am very proud of Ireland for standing in solidarity and supporting Ukrainian people at this time to seek refuge in the unfolding crisis. I would like to see an important step in our rethinking of how we deal with humanitarian and refugee crises around the world. I wish our country would offer the same solidarity and support to all refugees that they rightly show Ukrainian people.

Seeing these events unfold over the past two weeks has been extremely disheartening and difficult to process. Every day, we see innocent victims of war. We also see these victims in Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria and Yemen. I call on the Government to show the same solidarity that is rightly shown to Ukrainian people to people in these countries.Violence is violence; war is war. We should give all people the same dignity to be able to cross our borders. We should look after all people in that respectful way.

A well known broadcaster recently referred to an image of a blonde Ukrainian schoolgirl as "looking like us". To get protection in the world one should not have to look like an Irish person. I do not know in what way a person would have to look like an Irish person to seek refuge in this country. Many other people, including Muslims, have travelled here in the past from other war countries. Two years ago, we had a refugee crisis. Last year, we had a refugee crisis. This time last month, we had a refugee crisis. Unfortunately, we could not deal with those refugees. I hope to God that going forward we are going to treat people equally.

I am worried about the Roma people in Ukraine at this time, in particular whether they are being treated fairly and are getting equal access to safety. Yesterday, a book was launched entitled, End Direct Provision AND Tackle the International Protection System. There are people in direct provision in this country who are living in horrible situations.

Today I again call on the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, to come into this House to outline what is going to happen to other people here, such as the Muslim people, who are fleeing wars. Are these people to be provided with protection and to be given PPS numbers? Are we going to end direct provision for all or for just some countries? As a Traveller woman, I am concerned that we are leaving too many communities behind.

I want it to be very clear that I stand with the Ukrainian people and with all people who seek protection, including people from Palestine, Syria and Afghanistan.