Paschal Donohoe defends government’s clearance of migrant tents as he canvasses with Euros candidate

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has said that it is “very possible that in the days, weeks and months ahead” further operations will be required to move people out of tents and into more secure accommodation, but appealed to the public not to forget “the human story behind everybody seeking refuge”.

Mr Donohoe was speaking during a canvass today in the Taoiseach’s heartland, Greystones, Co Wicklow, for the Fine Gael European Election candidate for Ireland South, John Mullins.

He highlighted what he said were two reasons why Dublin’s second ‘tent city’ along the Grand Canal, was cleared in just two hours this morning.

“Firstly, I want to emphasise that anybody in temporary accommodation, in a tent, that those conditions are not safe for them,” he said.

“And we have better alternative accommodation available that we are locating in a way that can be safe, that we can have health facilities in place. And secondly, it is just not sustainable to see our larger cities get to a place that we have more and more tents within them, in a way that is not safe for people who are in the tents, and also would create challenges for the city itself.

“So for those two reasons, the operations that are now under way are needed. More may be needed in the future. But crucially, we are doing this because alternative accommodation is available that’s safer, that’s healthier, that’s better for everyone. And we need to move people into that accommodation.”

Asked whether the alternative – IPAS accommodation in Crooksling and Citywest – was better, despite the shelter provided still being a tent, the Minister insisted it was.

“Yes, it is in tents, but it’s in tents that are secure, and that have health facilities within them and more of the minimum facilities that we would want to make available to people who do need them. So that is why we need to make those facilities available. We need to ensure that they’re used, which is one of the reasons why the operation of today is needed.”

In response to calls for the Government, such as that made by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who decried the “inhumane and unsustainable” situation and asked for the doors of Baggot Street Hospital to be reopened, Minister Donohoe said “all options” are being looked at, including buildings that are sitting empty.

“But if you look at some of the properties that have been mentioned at the moment, it’s going to take a lot of effort and a lot of time to get them into the condition that could be used for temporary accommodation. And in the meantime, while that is happening, due to climate change and due to the two wars that the world is now confronting, the number of people that are coming to Ireland and other parts of Europe is increasing.”

On the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, the Minister warned of the possibility of a surge in numbers of people seeking refuge and how crucial it was to stabilise the situation. Asked about the story this week of a woman from Gaza, Halla Al Saqqa, who lost her husband and daughter as she fled with her eldest daughter and was only able to enter Ireland thanks to a Moroccan passport, the Minister said that it “just reminds us all of the human story behind everybody seeking refuge”.

“It’s so important in the debate that we are having at the moment that we don’t forget the humanity of the people that are at the heart of it,” he said.

“That lady is fortunate that she had a Moroccan passport,” said candidate John Mullins, who faces the reality of a Europe taking a sharp turn to the right, with populist right-wing parties gaining votes, potentially impacting the foreign policy choices the EU can make – particularly on migration, environment, and his area, business.

“The reality for the majority of Gazans is that they can’t get out, and they’re stuck in Rafah, and they’re under a deluge, effectively. And we need to make sure that there is a ceasefire as quickly as possible,” he said.

“I just think that we’re seeing a lot of independents out there jumping on bandwagons with respect to the migration issue,” he added.

“And frankly, it is having an impact on the view of migrant workers here. And the reality is we’re looking at an economic growth rate next year of around 3.5pc. That won’t be achieved unless we actually have new people working in this country, providing value to this economy. And if we don’t provide more value to the economy, we won’t be able to afford healthcare in the future, social welfare in the future. So therefore, it is vitally important that centre parties like ourselves are supported in the European elections,” he said.

Minister Donohoe added: “There’s still many twists and turns left in the campaigns that are happening all over Europe and here in Ireland.

“And I believe there is a case for competence and compassion regarding how we can manage a humanitarian crisis. And I’ll certainly be ceding no ground to the far right in their claims regarding what can be done. They’re talking at the moment about not wanting open borders, but what about all those people that are coming to Ireland, that are coming to Ireland on work permits, that we want to give them, to run our factories, to be in our health services, to work in our life science sector, to work in our technology sector.

“What are they saying about those people? What are they saying to people who are fleeing war legitimately and legally seeking refuge? And those are questions that so far candidates of the far right have been successful in evading.

“But once you put your name on the ballot paper, once you say you want to be elected, you can’t dodge those questions forever. And I hope this election that is now beginning to heat up will offer the opportunity for candidates from all parties to answer those questions.”

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