Before I speak about my approval of this Bill and give my thanks for the work done on it, I wish to make my position on immigration very clear. Having listened to various debates over the last number of days, sometimes it feels, as an outsider looking in, that the lines tend to get a little bit blurred when we talk about immigration and what immigration is. It is important to underline that our position is that immigration is welcome in Ireland. We welcome people of all shapes and sizes and from all corners of the Earth to come to Ireland to be part of our society because what they offer is invaluable. They offer a rich, cultural contribution and we would be very much the poorer were they not here. The purpose of this Bill has always been to align and put together a process that is fair to everyone and, above all, to those people who come to the country seeking asylum protection. Without a defined, rules-based process, people are left hanging on the edge, stressed, worried and in doubt. That is not fair. This Bill aims to produce a system that is fair so that, from the outset, they know, even before they come to the shores of this island, what exactly our rules are and what will qualify them to stay here and become part of our society. The word “fair” cannot be repeated enough when we talk about immigrants and asylum seekers. The set of rules that have been introduced are fair. The streamlining and the speeding-up of the process give everybody a sense of where they stand. They know that, when they come here, there will be a defined time to apply and receive a speedy response from the State with regard to their status. It will also allow them to prepare the next steps in their journey if they are not granted asylum. It is also fair to the children, parents and all of these people who are coming here because when they get here, if they are granted asylum, they will know what they can expect from the State. It is fair to people in the communities because they will know how this is being processed, rather than a wilderness in which they do not know who is coming, when and in what kind of numbers. This is a system that is firm, and that is to be accepted. We must have rules in order to have an efficient system. It is extremely reasonable and fair, both to the applicant and the people in the communities who are welcoming these applicants. We should never blur the lines when we talk about immigration. We are an open society. We operate an economy that is multinational and international. We need people with skill sets that, very often, we cannot provide ourselves. We offer a great, rich society to people coming here, but they can offer us even more in return. Not only can they teach us different cultures and ways of thinking, but they also bring skill sets into international companies that have to be respected. We have to learn from them. I broadly welcome this Bill. I thank the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, for the work they have done. I am not going to criticise it in any shape or form. However, I am mindful that maybe at some stage we could give some consideration to those people who have been refused asylum but have a serious illness. Consideration should be given to the progress and medical avenues available to them. We should also always be considerate of those children who come to this State on their own and ensure that their best interests are always placed at the very centre of the discussion.

Sentiment score: 0.23