Harkin calls for Minister to co-ordinate refugee response

Speaking in Dail Eireann, Deputy Marian Harkin called on the Taoiseach to appoint a Minister with full responsibility to co-ordinate and manage Ireland’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

“So many of the pieces are already in place, the generosity of the Irish people in offering assistance and shelter, the local community and voluntary groups ready to support refugees, the different NGOs, the Local Authorities and all the other bodies ready, willing and able, but Government has the ultimate responsibility to join the dots and to put structures and supports in place at local, at county, at regional and at national level”.

“The Taoiseach himself has said, we are in a war situation and we need a wartime type of response.  This is going to be far more difficult than we think at both individual and national level, but we can make it work.  At the very least, a co-ordinating body and a Minister are essential to manage the unfolding humanitarian crisis that is landing on our shores every single day.  If this does not happen, the difficulties will multiply – they will multiply anyway, but if somebody is in charge, it makes all the difference”, Deputy Harkin concluded.