Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is good to see the Minister of State back in good health. I thank him for bringing these regulations to the Seanad. The Fianna Fáil group will support this emergency measure, which is born out of the need to respond to a world that is experiencing unprecedented levels of conflict in many different territories. We are lucky to live on a largely peaceful island, of which it is a privilege for us all to be citizens. We have experienced an unprecedented arrival to our island of people seeking international protection. I commend the Government, all members of the Civil Service and public service, all the NGOs and all the communities right around the island that have been so responsive, welcoming to and supportive of the people coming here from very traumatic situations. These people are experiencing huge personal challenges and they need all our Christian charity, human understanding and all the empathy we can muster.

After the most recent election, when the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, brought forward his paper outlining the Government's plans to end direct provision, none of us thought we would be in the situation we are in today, whereby not only are we unable to end direct provision because of the changed circumstances, we must expand the accommodation we are providing. I commend the Government and the State on responding generously to the situation.

The regulations include a specific reference to East Wall, which is part of the Dublin Central constituency, in which I live. East Wall has been in the headlines and has dominated certain forms of media in recent days. The story has not been running even a full week. Most of the coverage has been terribly negative, toxic and entirely unrepresentative of the constituency in which I grew up and live. It is the most diverse and inclusive constituency in the country. The community there is open, welcoming, supportive, generous and kind. I want it put on the record of the House that there is a welcome in Dublin Central and in the north inner city. Parts of the north inner city have huge diversity and that makes it richer and all the better.

I have spoken to the Minister in recent days and I thank him for the time he has afforded me. I appreciate that his Department is facing unprecedented challenges. I encourage the Government to support the Department to engage openly and to communicate in a way that gains buy-in and support, is honest with people and is accepting of the challenges we face while also engaging communities to rise to those challenges and conquer them, as I know my community can and does all the time. I understand these are temporary regulations and that they will expire at the end of December 2024. However, I want the regulations not just to act as a formality to give exemptions from planning permission for a change of use. I want and expect the Department to both provide accommodations that will do as a short-term fix and to recognise that these will become shelter for people who are coming from war-torn, traumatic and conflict situations. That shelter needs to provide them with comfort, the ability to get on with their lives and the ability to start to recover from trauma.

The Minister of State has our support with the regulations. I thank him for bringing them before the House and I look forward to them passing through both of the Houses.