Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is an absolute shame for our country that those seeking asylum and refuge in our country were subjected to appalling acts of hate over the weekend in Sandwith Street. Indeed, we see very disturbing scenes again today with the blockade in Clare. There is responsibility on us all to call out the hate and the bile which is being directed towards very vulnerable persons right now. We must also call out some within Government who, I believe, are inflaming matters. We had the Taoiseach this morning blaming a lack of gardaí for the events which took place on Sandwith Street. I believe that is a disingenuous deflection.

We know the reason the events took place on Sandwith Street was because of the number of tents which are there. They are there because of the sheer failure of Government policy to provide basic accommodation for those coming to our country seeking refuge. We have a Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who is being effectively isolated in all of his calls for help in a whole-of-government approach towards helping those who come to this country seeking refuge. We have also had Fianna Fáil spokesperson on justice, Deputy Jim O’Callaghan, saying earlier this year that people who come to the airports without passports needed to be turned back. This is completely in contravention of any of the international norms in the treatment of those who come to any country seeking asylum. We are at a very dangerous time and it is incumbent on us all to ensure hate and racism do not take a deeper root than is already the case. It is particularly incumbent on the Government that it does not play into the hands of those who are looking to pick a fight, to stir up division and to breed hate.

The other issue I wish to raise, about which I have previously spoken, is the very severe shortage of preschool places in Dublin's north inner city. In the past week we had the loss of yet another 44 places in one small area in Stoneybatter. That brings us to a total of 105 preschool places lost between June of last year and June of this year. That, of course, causes enormous stress to parents who are already very aware of the major shortages that exist. What is worse, however, is that this loss and major shortage is entirely predictable, was entirely foreseen, and has effectively been driven by the actions and the lack of joined-up thinking between the Department of Education and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Department of Education's expansion of special needs education, which is fantastic and badly needed, has meant these preschools have had to leave the primary school building which they operated from. The reality now is these preschools have simply nowhere to go.We have pleaded with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to put funding in place. It will be next year before there is any capital expenditure. We already know there will be a very small pot and huge demand for it. I reiterate the urgent need to support preschools in Dublin's north inner city and the call to put money in place to ensure new facilities can be built.