Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)

I am appalled. I realise the Minister of State has given us the text that people have been receiving in letters, which is that the Department is so busy it is limited in what it can provide to non-Irish citizens even if they have placements in Irish universities. I do not accept that. The idea that consular staff will deal only with Irish citizens, effectively, or those on a direct Irish scholarship is disgraceful in the current context. I ask the Minister of State not to bother talking about the position the Government claims to be taking on these matters. This is a direct shift in position from the kind of humane approach we took on Afghanistan and the kind of humane approach we were taking in April. It is clear the Government is now saying it is going to leave these people on their own, having overcome impossible obstacles and been told a few months ago that they would have access and support. They were told they could not apply for visas until the flights had been arranged and now we are hearing there are no plans for delivering any flights or working on any flights. They are on their own because the very busy embassy in Tel Aviv - I would ask what it has been doing for a long period in terms of the absolute silence from it over years of abuses in Gaza - is too busy to help 21 students not covered by a Government of Ireland scholarship. With all its means, it is too busy to assist them.I do not accept that the Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Department of foreign affairs with all of its resources are too busy and overwhelmed to help 31 additional students take up their placements. I do not accept that. It is disgraceful and a shift in policy. What has changed? Why has the Government changed from this position? Is it a new hard approach we are trying to take? Are we using the most vulnerable example we can possibly find to create a new hardline approach? I am shocked.