Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2026: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-24
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Joe Conway (IND), Cultural and Educational Panel

I want to respond to the Minister of State's contribution. Many of us are familiar with a prayer that is sometimes said - I do not want to sound sanctimonious here - to the effect that it is in giving that we receive. That should be the theme of the response to Ukrainians by the people of Ireland that we saw from 2022. There was an extraordinary generosity shown by the people. It was not just an vacuous generosity or expression of goodwill. Those who hitherto had not considered accommodating people - is strainséirí iad go léir - complete strangers who come from a different culture and part of the world, harboured them in such a hospitable way. It was an extraordinary venture of national generosity that has to be credited and marked here.
The Ukrainian people who came here and integrated themselves as a result of the hospitality shown to them gained an awful lot. They probably thought in the beginning that it would be a fairly temporary arrangement, but it has extended into its fifth year at this stage. Those involved are contributing in a very generous and efficient way to our economy. The figures were mentioned by Senator Gallagher. There are 30,000 in employment and a great many in education at the three levels. The old people who I know personally in Waterford and who are here with their sons and daughters have been fulsome in their praise of the generosity and care they are getting in this country.
The prospect of the scheme coming to a precipitate end is something that cannot be countenanced. That is why I am uttering my cúpla focal to express my support for the extension of the initiative until 2027. I could really not do otherwise. It just seems to be extremely logical and compassionate to do so. There may be glitches around the edges, but we have to look at the thing in the round. All told, we could do well to extend for another year the compassion and generosity that we have shown as a nation, because it is a very uncertain and mean world out there that these people have had to encounter. As a public representative, it certainly would not be something that I could countenance to whip the rug of support out from under them at this juncture.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:46+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-24