Dozens more refugees to be given refuge in Ireland in coming weeks
The details came as Independent TD Mick Wallace yesterday claimed that there are many people here willing to take in minors who were refugees, including himself.
The Wexford TD made an emotional speech in which he described meeting refugees in Calais, north France, last week. The only people making money out of the situation are smugglers, he said, who charge families €20,000 to get from Dunkirk to Britain.
Mr Wallace said Ireland should take in more refugee minors and that many Irish are willing to, including himself. He described meeting a boy who had lost his family in Afghanistan but now wanted to come to Ireland: “Somebody from the government should go out to Calais to see what is happening.”
"We are blessed in Ireland with opportunities. We are not afraid of bombs falling on us at night while we sleep. Generally speaking, we are not worried about where we will find our next bite of food; we are not dying of hunger.
"We seem to forget that these are not even economic migrants, which all of the Irish who left Ireland were. There are millions of Irish people all over the planet. Imagine if they were as unwelcome as the Afghans, Kurds and Syrians are in Ireland."
Ahead of a rise in the numbers of refugees who may attempt dangerous crossings in the Mediterranean during the summer, Defence Minister Simon Coveney announced that the LÉ Róisín will leave Cork this weekend to assist Italian authorities in any rescue missions.
Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said the remaining half of the 520 people selected to move here under the EU resettlement programme would come from Lebanon by the end of September.
As part of a separate pledge to relocate 2,600 migrants here under the EU relocation programme, only a Syrian family of 10 had arrived so far in January. But she added: “An additional 31 people have completed all checks, including security checks, and are expected to be relocated from Greece in the coming weeks.”
A pledge has been made to take in another 40.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people held a demonstration outside Leinster House against the Government’s cut of €12m earmarked for mental health services this year. The demonstration was organised by the Mental Health Reform coalition and the Union of Students in Ireland.
Health Minister Leo Varadkar has defended the move, saying the money could not be spent as extra staff could not be hired on time. Mr Varadkar claims the money will be spent next year.
Mental Health Reform director Shari McDaid said funding for the sector must remain.
USI president Kevin Donoghue said there are lengthy waiting lists for counselling services in colleges throughout the State.
TDs from Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, and some Independents attended the rally.
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