Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-11-Speech-3-034"
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"en.20040211.1.3-034"2
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"Mr President, I would also like to welcome Minister McDowell to the House. I would like to pick up on a couple of small points, given that this is the end of the debate and many of the points I wished to raise have already been dealt with. Referring to Mr Evans' reference to legal migration, which I totally agree with, I am very proud and happy that Ireland is one of only two countries in Europe not to have raised barriers to the movement of workers from some of the new applicant states coming to work in our country, as many of them are already doing.
While listening to the Commissioner and to the Minister listing the legislation that has been brought in, particularly in the area of immigration and asylum, I know both men have warm hearts, but in the description of all the legislation that was coming through, the quality of mercy seemed to be lacking in some way. The contribution that the visitors who have come to live amongst us have made to life in many of our countries must be recognised and celebrated. Indeed, Minister, when I think of this I think of my hairdresser, in your own constituency. The quality of service and gaiety and everything else in our little hairdresser's, where we middle-aged ladies go to have our hair done, is considerably enhanced by the young Chinese students who are working there; we all queue up to have them wash our hair. While that might seem trivial in the context of the many serious issues here today, it is something we must celebrate. It is not all a negative criminal issue; it is also a considerable contribution to the quality of life.
Mention was made, particularly by the Commissioner, to some of the civil judicial areas that have come through in the last year, many of which contribute considerably to the quality of life of our citizens. My own area of particular interest is the protection of children, as well as the question under the Brussels II Convention of access to and custody of children in parental disputes. I know it is not done in this House very often, but I cannot but refer to the difficulties I am having with the Federal Republic of Germany in many cases, particularly relating to fathers having access to their children, who have either gone legally or illegally back to live in Germany. We have situations where, for example, it appears to be perfectly easy and legal for a custodial parent in Germany to change the name of the children – the children very often bearing the father's name – without any reference to the father. Names are being changed legally, which causes considerable distress to the fathers, who in many cases are also denied access to their children, both legally and through the social services. Unfortunately, despite great efforts by myself and many others, these fathers are finding it extremely difficult to gain access to their children. While the Commissioner thinks that this kind of legislation is not often covered by the press, I have to say that this particular issue is indeed covered by the press; it is something that people genuinely care about and there is an element of justice that has to be recognised in this.
Commissioner, finally, could you please look into your heart and see if you could not do anything to improve our relationships with the non-Hague Convention countries, to which many children are still being abducted?"@en1
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