International Protection Bill 2026: Committee Stage
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Alan Kelly (LAB), Tipperary North

I have had to adapt to the issues relating to IPAS centres being in my constituency for a lot longer than most people inside here. Some did reference going back a while, but not everybody. I understand the spirit of this amendment. I accept there should be community analysis and I will outline the reason for that in a few minutes, but I am not sure practically how many centres would end up getting through this funnel.
What I said in my Second Stage speech comes back again. The problem is we have to be careful as the political class, the highest political class in this country - we are the Legislature - that we do not create a situation whereby we facilitate legislation that gives people a pass for covert racism. We have to be very careful on that. I have said here before that I have been very disappointed by people in this House, on this side of the House and that side in particular and, dare I say it, a few scattered around the place also. When you are elected to this House, you have to have conviction and you have to stand up for what you believe in. We all know this system is horrendous. We all know the profiteering and that the private nature of how this has been done has been horrendous. We all know it should be a public-based system. We all know it needs significant investment. We all know the challenges. We all know it is imperfect; it will never be 100% perfect. We all know we need to do better, but that has not happened.
In 2019, I was the only TD to attend, along with one councillor, when there was a public outcry - outcry is too strong a word but there was a public meeting - in Borrisokane. An outcry was beginning across several locations with regard to where IPAS centres were being located. This was in 2019, seven years ago. I was the only TD who turned up. The people of Borrisokane created history and I am so bloody proud to represent them. I have referred to this several times, but the Department of justice officials sat down, discussed and more or less did a deal. There were 90-odd people welcomed to the town, and they have grown in that town. They have contributed to that town and have done so much.
I have a little story. Back then, there was a lot of fear in the area. Sorry, can the Chair interrupt the ushers? Excuse me, are you finished?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-18