James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all of the witnesses this morning. It is no secret that this is a complex area of work being done by the Government. It is controversial and public frustration is growing almost monthly. It is clear from polling that the public is extraordinarily concerned about what is going on with this Department, in particular around integration. It is important that we put questions to the witnesses this morning. My first question is on the 2022 expenditure on combating disinformation. Why did the Secretary General's Department not put more emphasis on spending in this area to effectively inform the public about what was going on? I know and accept this was a new challenge for the Department, in particular at the start when there was a sharp increase in migration due to the conflict in Ukraine in particular. This was a new challenge for the Department. Given where we are now why was that provision not made? Was it discussed? Is it something Mr.. McCarthy accepts is now at a tipping point where we have arson attacks on IPA centres, where incredibly unsavoury protests are taking place in many locations, which have put An Garda Síochána and local services under huge pressure? We have reached a point where this is bordering on a crisis. I start with that question. Were did it all go wrong?