What are your views on Multiculturalism in Ireland? - Threadbanned User List in OP

Especially one who managed a whopping 0.8% in the last election and was second last at the polls in his constituency.

Good to see his stance is not supported by many, indeed, the same story applies for pretty much all of the National Party folks when they try get elected.....to anything

Still, at least he managed more than the party leader who managed 0.7% (less than 200 votes out of 22k voters) in his last attempt

She's done great work on the regularisation Scheme so she's alright inside my book. Not everyone's cup of tea but then who is

Contrary to what the media say I think Helen McEntee is in for a big shock next election. Her name is synonymous with the acceleration of multiculturalism and most recently our open doors/uncapped reception of refugees. Whatever people think about a few people on "boards" whining and giving out, I can tell you that nobody in my family which is very large, in-laws, work colleagues, friends or acquaintances is supportive of the unlimited and fast tracking of supports to Ukranian families. It is one thing to offer them refuge here in Ireland, whether that is in mass centers, convents, military barracks, unused hospitals....... it is quite another thing to fast track them for housing, medical cards, university grants, all social welfare payments, schools, free buses and jobs.

A wealthy friend of mine has taken a family of 8 into his house in Kerry as they could not get into the UK (where he has 2 other houses ). He flew them to Ireland and is putting them up. On day 2 they got social welfare benefits for 8, medical cards, food parcels and the choice of either a house in Tralee city for 8 or a house in Kenmare for 8. They have already said they will settle in Ireland for good. He is thrilled and says Ireland is great and came up trumps with all the benefits for this family .He himself owns 3 houses and pays NO tax in Ireland!

How on earth was a house for a family of 8 found so quickly?? On another thread today on Boards an Irish man and his wife who both work full time and 2 kids, are being kicked out of their rental house in a month, because the LL is selling up. They simply cannot get anywhere else to live, they are trying everything, constantly ringing estate agents, putting up ads.......they are now talking about becoming homeless and sleeping in the car. Both of these people work, in good jobs!! Why can a choice of 2 houses be found for a Ukranian family but nothing for an Irish family?? Helen McEntee has created a monster and people will not forget this.

I don't think it really matters. There are so many "crisis's" ongoing, with more in the pipeline, that the political party leadership will be aware that they can keep playing smoke and mirrors for a long time yet. McEntee is still being heavily promoted both online and in the media as the poserchild of modern Ireland, and there's a lot of people who still get most of their information from RTE, and associated traditional content. There's been very little coverage in our media for any of the downsides of what she's proposed or sought to implement, and nothing coming from the political opposition, in any kind of constructive manner.

In fact, I see my parents whenever the various opposition groups or spokespeople start speaking, and they shut off completely. The opposition in this country complains so much about minor affairs, and in such an inept annoying manner, that most people I've spoken to, don't pay attention to them anymore, except when it relates to local issues... and even then, it's taken with a hefty pinch of disregard. And then, there's RTE, with people knowing that their news is being sugar-coated, but there being a grim apathy about seeking news elsewhere. There's a hesitant hope remaining that RTE will pull their heads out of the political asses, but in reality, I think most of the electorate have given up.

There have been so many scandals, and negligent practices regarding politicians in this country over the last twenty years, and very little has come from it. Those same politicians are simply shifted around a few times, disappearing from the public eye for a while, and then springing back to be given some position that isn't determined by the electorate.

Next election, McEntee will do fine. The same people who voted her in, will continue to do so.. and she's gained on the feminists with her slating all men as being threats to women. Her immigration topics and lack of deportations have been given the glowing seal of approval by RTE, activists.. and they're far more vocal than the people who criticise her policies... Considering the efforts of the last five years to reinforce the impression that Ireland is a racist nation, and the serious need for a wide range of hate speech laws, our politicians and the legal community, have served notice to anyone who wants to complain about immigrants, the government policies, or whatever. TBH It's remarkably similar to the start of a police state, or simply a return to DeValeras Ireland of censorship, and heavy social conditioning.

She's going to be Taoiseach, and likely President before her career ends. The electorate will continue to be bullied, guilt-tripped, and emotionally manipulated (along with the continued cherry-picking by RTE about the news).. because it works.

Honestly, I'm quite hopeful that our foreign born population starts speaking out against our political parties. The Poles, Ukrainians, and other Eastern Europeans are well experienced with this kind of State propaganda, along with the corruption that goes with it. Same with our SE Asian community.

Cause if you're waiting for the Irish (native Irish) electorate to put it to our politicians, including McEntee, I think we'll have to wait until all the shite that's hit Europe really starts manifesting itself here too. Of course, by then, it will be too late to do anything about it.

Numbers of Asylum seekers, including the bogus ones who get past the initial screening process, are still relatively low compared to other nations. In fact, even if you take the entire numbers of Asylum seekers over a decade, the numbers aren't scary. The costs involved are ridiculous, but that's mostly due to the NGOs, the legal profession, the State advisors/consultants, etc. Personally, I wouldn't list Asylum seekers as being a particularly important issue.. compared with the range of other immigration into this country.

TBH I always think the focus people have on Asylum takes away from the heaps of people who come in as refugees, but will also receive a range of supports either directly from the State, or through the NGOs (who are funded by the State). But even more importantly, the actual economic immigrants, who are not equipped in education or financially to support themselves in a first world nation, but have still been allowed into the country.. and considering our rather retarded history regarding deportations... yeah. Covid ensured that everyone with an expiring visa during that period was automatically renewed.. even with a shrinking low-skilled economy during the covid period, all those visas were renewed. Just boggles the mind, the logic at play in the minds of our politicians and the public service.

So, I would suggest that you widen your gaze a fair bit, because Asylum seekers just receive the most media attention.. but in reality, there's far more being spent on other migrant groups.

As for being raised to contribute... I used to think that way too. We should be helping the weakest members of our society, and giving a helping hand to those temporary out of work. Yup. However.. When I lost my job just after the banking crash, still needing to pay my mortgage, and faced a series of serious problems, I turned to the State for a helping hand. The previous twenty years of tax being paid, surely would have entitled me to some help? Nope. Nadda. In fact, they penalised me further because I didn't default on my mortgage, and I faced even more problems from them... So.. nope. I don't have that belief in contributing anymore.

I've come to the opinion that the both the Government and the State are here to screw us. If you're not part of a disadvantaged/protected group, or part of some extended political family, then you're simply here to support everyone else. 🤪

I think it'll be grand, it always is.

They? The govt? If so, then it's not the "whole and only plan", far from it, as seen by the regularisation Scheme, the winding down of direct provision, the rapid scaling up of resources to address the influx of Ukrainian refugees and so on.

It's likely, its amazing what you can get away with saying if you keep saying "allegedly" but in the off chance that there is any truth in it, personally I'll wait for the results of any Garda investigation rather than, ya know, Philip and his mob and that particularly sinister type of justice.

There are ALWAYS issues to be sorted, that has ALWAYS been the case, since the formation of the state and it will never change. Its one of the best things about this country, we are always striving to do better.

Previously it was high unemployment after the crash, sorted now.

Before that it was negative equity, sorted now.

Before that it was high house prices, err ok fair enough, that's a basket case and the only way to fix it is for the govt to become a builder.

But by n large, things typically work out. Sure there's bumps along the way, but cest la vie.