Time for a zero refugee policy? - *Read OP for mod warnings - updated 11/5/24*

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121168101#Comment_121168101

Once the bubble burst all of these “needy” and “scared” “refugees” will suddenly decide they need somewhere with a higher standard of living.

TedBundysDriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121167385#Comment_121167385

You think politicians aren't capable of that?

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121167429#Comment_121167429

The thing about opinion pieces are, they are only opinions

I'd take with a few pinches of salt

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121168247#Comment_121168247

As evidenced by Truss in the UK and others there, Farage for example, yes very probably some are.

But there is no evidence except a traunch of hysterical posters here who like to post anti governmental drivel that that is what is likely going on HERE in Ireland.

There is a stong " anti bullshxxometer" amongst Irish voters who have not had anything like in UK, big houses or wealth handed down from generation to generation nor been told that they must tug their forelock at anyone calked a lord or a lady. Anything we have, we have worked for and earned and any politician seeking to take that away from people will be, and have been given, short shrift.

They have a programme for government which they are following and all has been well flagged.

If people don't like it they should let their local representative know, and /or vote for change in the next GE.

Posting endless nonsense here does nothing, serves noone and unless there are posters posting some reasonable opinion based on fact woth relevant up to date links ( not a few years old and not you tube or X!) it is just an echo chamber howling at the sky.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121163790#Comment_121163790

I actually thought Declan Ganley was sound enough at the time, but now I'm reading that he is great pals with Nigel Farage and keeps in regular touch with him.

Hey boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121167385#Comment_121167385

Or perhaps one poster has (in your opinion).

Sigh.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121167432#Comment_121167432

But if we are going to get this immigration-driven breakthrough for the right, does it not have to happen while the current influx from Ukraine is going on, or shortly after it has peaked? Do you guys think we'll have tens of thousands coming in from Ukraine for many years to come, or will other countries take up the slack if and when there's some sort of resolution to the Russia/Ukraine conflict?

I mean we've had significant immigration since round the turn of the century, and the right, such as it is in Ireland, has so far made no headway on the back of it, even though they've been trying right from the start.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Control_Platform

My expectation is there will be some sort of settlement of Russia-Ukraine within the next couple of years, the exodus from Ukraine will dry up and many of those here will return home, and the whole immigration issue will fall back down the political agenda.

Bobtheman

It's hard to say at this point what will happen in the war in Ukraine. Thus Ukrainian refugees could be here for years more.

They really don't want to be fighting the Russians again.

I doubt immigration/refugees as an issue will disappear unless housing as an issue subsides. I can't see that happening for at least 5 years

The lack of official engagement on the immigration /refugee issue by the government means the vacuum will be filled by the far right.

There is arguments for immigration and refugees

But leo and the lads won't make them

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121169224#Comment_121169224

More than one poster thanked that ridiculous post , and others responded similarly ... yes , sigh

Cal4567

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121169314#Comment_121169314

Yes I'd hope that there would be a settlement but I don't think a large number of Ukrainians wil return home. Didn't a survey earlier this year confirm that 30% were keen to remain here, and that's just after a year.

Climate change and immigration into Europe are the two dominant issues of our time. Neither are going away. What makes you think immigration into Ireland will be any less important?

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121169773#Comment_121169773

I doubt immigration/refugees as an issue will disappear unless housing as an issue subsides. I can't see that happening for at least 5 years

Even that could be soon enough for the political establishment. If we're accepting that this supposed breakthrough for the right will not happen in the upcoming GE then you're looking to the following one, likely to be in the late 2020s if the next government goes anywhere near full term. If that government is seen to be making seious headway on the housing issue, and the numbers coming in are well down on what they have been for the last couple of years, then IMO it's likely this 'window of opportunity' for the right will have closed by GE 2028/9...

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121168085#Comment_121168085

We have one of the highest per capita debt burdens in the world. A recession anytime soon would make us go the way of Argentina. We don't need that.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121169871#Comment_121169871

Didn't a survey earlier this year confirm that 30% were keen to remain here

If only a third of them decided to stay I'd say the government would be laughing. After all a fair chunk of them are already inegrated into the economy

https://businessplus.ie/news/ukrainians-work-taoiseach/

I'd say if even a third of them went back, that would be enough to take the political heat out of this specific issue...

What makes you think immigration into Ireland will be any less important?

I'm not saying it's not important, I'm questioning whether there will be a breakthrough for the right on the back of it, as so many on this thread are anticipating. After all there's been no sign of this breakthrough with 25+ years of (fairly) large-scale immigration already. I think the upcoming series of election constitute an "If not not now, when?" moment for the anti-immigration right in Ireland...

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121169937#Comment_121169937

I don't get the impression that immigration or refugees are a burning issue for people in Ireland. Things like health, housing and the cost of living crisis are surely more to the forefront. People are sophisticated and intelligent enough to realise that immigration largely hasn't caused inflation or increased hospital waiting lists or housing shortages.

Having said that, it still would be very interesting to see just how well an openly right wing party would do at the next election and to see just where support for such a party would be coming from (i.e. age, social class, education, rural vs urban, male vs female etc etc).

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170002#Comment_121170002

We do have right wing parties though. It's just they are right wing socially with religious, anti abortion and anti lgbt policies that don't appeal to most people in ireland nowadays.

Bobtheman

Hang on. Let's all recall the Irish famine. How many refugees did we send abroad - a million?

Between 1922 - 80 half the children in the state left. They were de facto refugee s

So it's ok to export Irish but we can't import people??

Bobtheman

Im not saying the whole refugee service doesn't need an overall but let's get some perspective

TedBundysDriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170511#Comment_121170511

Imports? They are humans not products.

We want the right sort of people coming here not the absolute riff raff that's ending up here in droves at present.

Consonata

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170097#Comment_121170097

As of September, there are about a million Ukrainians there now. The sky hasn't fallen in apparently.

Bobtheman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170523#Comment_121170523

Riff raff?.

What do you think the million refugees we sent were? Highly skilled??

They were peasant farmers

Bobtheman

Anybody with a cursory knowledge of history knows that the Russians must be contained

However Ukraine is a big big country and one wonders if some are not using it as an excuse to just get out.

In other words a lot of Ukraine is stíl safe

It is incredible that Irish people can't afford to go to the doctor but refugees get a medical card?

What I'm trying to get at is that you should be able to critically ask questions without being seen as totally against refugees

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170511#Comment_121170511

How many went illegally??

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171045#Comment_121171045

The vast majority of refugees in 2023 aren't 'illegal' either. It's not against any law for a person to claim asylum in another country.

ECookie13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170511#Comment_121170511

As people constantly point out, there is a difference. We emigrated and lived like dogs for decades, grafting and working for every penny, building towns from the ground up.

We did not arrive on a country's doorstep and get free housing, free healthcare, free cars, free welfare, free travel cards. Need I go on?

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170045#Comment_121170045

Is that not the definition of right wing? Anti-Abortion, Anti-LGBT, Anti-Imigration, Capitalists, gun lovers, Nazis etc. etc

thomas 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170511#Comment_121170511

https://www.irishstar.com/culture/nostalgia/what-first-days-america-were-29986612 - Appreciate its the star but it shows a synopsis of what the Irish faced when they arrived in the US.

They did not arrive to welfare, free housing and food(With the exception of some Irish/religious organisations or groups)

Your latter example - the US and Australia wanted people to build their countries up, generally skilled people, you cant just move to either now, granted it was easier before - its still a silly example and nothing compared to inward migration in Ireland.

Not agreeing or disagreeing how we deal with refugees currently - your analogy just does not stack up at all.

TedBundysDriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170511#Comment_121170511

Not comparable at all.

Also to this day if you are an illegal in the US and are caught without a green card working or over staying your visa you will be deported.

Gatling

Meanwhile in France a several women needed a journalist to rescue them not from people traffickers but from themselves after they snuck on to an Irish truck thinking it was going to the UK or Here, instead they were heading to Italy which wasn't their preferred choice destination ,

https://www.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/six-women-rescued-from-irish-registered-lorry-in-france-after-texting-bbc-reporter-to-help-them/a286163832.html

Jizique

Sweden turns to military to help police combat gang crime | Financial Times (ft.com)

Sweden is considering using its military to help police in the battle against gang crime, following a sharp increase in deadly shootings and bomb attacks in the Scandinavian country.

Police chiefs have said that Sweden is facing its most serious domestic security situation since the second world war as immigrant drug gangs engage in a bloody conflict. Police believe the gangs are increasingly using children to commit the crimes, as those under 18 often go unpunished or receive low sentences from the courts.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121172387#Comment_121172387

Yup, genuine cases right there - not at all welfare shopping I'm sure! And after all the drama I'm sure they'll be free to no doubt try again.