Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2024-01-30
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Danny Healy-Rae (IND), Kerry

This is a very important debate about co-ordination of services. I am concerned over how the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and Fianna Fáil Deputies are trying to confuse the debate by talking about immigrants who come here working. I have respect for all those people who come here working - as much as the Minister, Deputy Coveney, or anybody else. I have employed people from every part of the world at different times. Since being elected to Kerry County Council more than 20 years ago, I have helped and worked with the Bangladeshi community in Killarney and will continue to work with them and all the other communities. I took them to Belfast to get their eyesight restored and I would do it for all those people who have been here for many years.
However, we have to recognise that there is a place called "Stop". When you overflood and concentrate a lot of people in one area, a community will be upset. A few months ago, before people came to the Harmony Inn on the Muckross Road in Killarney, I asked the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to come down and meet with a deputation from a meeting that took place in the Killarney Avenue Hotel attended by more than 350 people who had concerns. When we talk about the Harmony Inn, I can say it was anything but a place in harmony because I am being told day after day that Garda cars are outside of it.
When people from all over the world are put into 22 rooms, you will have conflict. We have a serious lack of services. I am sorry. I needed a lot more time.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2024-01-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:36+00:00
Sitting date: 2024-01-30