I am also delighted to speak on this. When I went for election this time last year, I was one of the only TDs in north Dublin who mentioned immigration and migration on my leaflets. In that, and the mandate I was elected on, was a fair, compassionate immigration system that led communication with communities and the Government and had no tolerance for racism. The people of north Dublin elected me on that mandate and I have continuously worked on it. Ireland has always participated in these funds. They have helped us fulfil our humanitarian commitment while reducing the financial burden on the State. We should support this because it will give better services to vulnerable people and stronger communities, and Europe will help us pay for it. These supports mean a much safer Ireland as part of Europe's security framework. The funding can also be given towards technology and upgrades for our security measures. I will also mention that this funding could strengthen Garda capacity and enhance co-operation on anything that could go wrong in that sense. The reason I say we should be going towards this is if and when we opt in, it will ensure Ireland keeps influence over the EU's justice and migration policy rather than just being a spectator. As everyone in this House will know from me over the last year, I would much rather be on the pitch than shouting from the sidelines. In light of us drawing down the hundreds of millions of euro that would otherwise go elsewhere, opting in is the smart and responsible choice. It supports vulnerable people, strengthens national security and protects democratic values. I will also mention I have visited some of the refugee centres and spoken to refugees. I urge the Government to enable refugees to get their work permits and work. They want to work. We should allow them to do so.

Sentiment score: 0.27