Syrian refugees need psychological support, Senator says

Psychological assessment and supports need to be in place for Syrian refugees coming to Ireland to ensure “we will not have to talk about them in terms of terrorist atrocities down the line”, the Seanad has been told.

Fine Gael Seanad whip Gabrielle McFadden questioned the level of services the State would provide to refugees, as Senators expressed condolences and concerns about the truck attack in Berlin and mosque attack in Zurich on Monday.

Ireland has pledged asylum to 4,000 Syrian refugees with 1,100 expected by September 2017. The State will also take in 200 minors who will go into foster care. A total of 800 Syrian refugees will have been given asylum in the State by December 31st this year.

Ms McFadden said she had previously spoken about ensuring that Syrian refugees coming to Ireland were housed properly “not in the asylum units we have in place because they are atrocious places for anybody to have to live and not in barracks because they are not suitable accommodation for anybody”.

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She said she was very worried, especially about young children and young men coming to Ireland in the new year.

“What kind of psychological assessment of these people will be done and what services will be put in place for them? Many will be very traumatised and will suffer from post-traumatic stress and have seen terrible things happen in the places they are coming from,” she said.

Wider debate

Ms McFadden also said: “We cannot simply bring them into the country, throw them into units and leave them there without any supports.”

She said psychological services for children and adolescents in Ireland “are pushed as it is”.

“Therefore, we need to make sure there are services available for those young people, that they will settle in properly that they will have the facilities they need and deserve, that they will grow into young adults and that we will not have to talk about them in terms of terrorist attacks down the line.”

Her Mayo party colleague Michelle Mulherin said there had to be a wider debate, particularly around the issue of numbers. Germany thought it knew what it was doing in terms of its refugee policy "but clearly it does not", she said of the decision not to put a cap on refugee numbers.

Radicalisation

Seanad leader Jerry Buttimer, also of Fine Gael, said the attacks were about hatred, evil and radicalisation. He said the killing of Russia’s ambassador was an attack on democracy.

“Irrespective of political viewpoints, he was an ambassador and representative of the people of Russia,” Mr Buttimer said.

Fianna Fáil Seanad leader Catherine Ardagh also expressed condolences on the attack and on the shooting dead of Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov. Ms Ardagh said the recent pattern of elections showed the far right capitalising on a xenophobic agenda and “this makes me scared for the future of Europe”.

Sinn Féin Seanad leader Senator Rose Conway-Walsh expressed solidarity with the people of Germany and asked that people “not allow such attacks to achieve their aim in creating division and suspicion”.

Labour Seanad leader Ivana Bacik said it was good to hear the careful language used by most German politicians in responding to the attack and she condemned the assassination of the Russian ambassador.