Ireland running out of accommodation for Ukrainian refugees due to surge in non-Ukrainian refugees?

SF have had a broadly pro-refugee/immigrant position for at least two decades. Very difficult to do a quick (i.e. in time for the next election) volte face on such a longstanding position without looking like cynical opportunists. They might tweak things a bit but I can't see them adopting any positions that could be portrayed as to the right of the current government by their rivals on the left.

I don't think being perceived as cynical opportunists will bother SF too much. If 6 out of 10 of your support don't agree with you, then you may do something. Unlikely to abandon their pro immigrant policy completely but I expect to see a hardening of their rhetoric on international asylum applicants criticising the government for not managing bogus applicants etc etc

I think Sinn Fein rode out the first few months of this staying silent and hoping it would go away. It's obvious now that it's not going away and is having an effect on politics - which requires a political response.

As far as I can see Sinn Fein are looking to take the same approach on this as they do on the Green agenda. (Another issue that splits their supporters). Namely approve of it in the abstract but object to every implementataion of it in practice.

So "we must welcome immigrants" but everywhere and every way it is being done wrongly and must change. Need to ask communities, crackdown on undocumented etc.

Hey, whatever way they get there, as long as they get there.

At this stage the few far right faces must be well known at these protests. How are they handled now?

Is the smile on your face when they're chanting out out out at women and children? When they're threatening to burn out immigrants? When graham Carey is leading a failed insurrection? When Dee wall is yelling at empty schools?

These aren't things that make "regular concerned people" smile but you do you.

Are you smokin' something this morning? Haven't a clue what you're on about now???

Actively courting the right wing vote would be a bizarre move for any left wing party - you can't be genuinely left wing if you start coming up with traditional right wing policies. If SF went down this route, it would make them look like a bunch of populists like Trump and Bolsonaro, people who don't really believe in anything.

And a word of caution to anyone who thinks an Irish Trump or Bolsonaro would be the solution. Generally, these guys are absolutely useless as political leaders, fail to do anything about immigration and usually leave their countries in a worse state after they are kicked out of power.

I wonder will they invite Nigel farage as a guest speaker this time. Because nothing screams Irish patriot more than inviting an elitist Brit who thinks little old Ireland should know her place and shut up. He did get paid £100 for saying Tiocfaidh ár lá and up the ra in a cameo video so who knows maybe he’s changed his tune…

Would you consider the referendum on gay marriage and abortion rights as woke? Which was passed by a majority of the “normal” electorate?

Are you talking about the protestors only or is it anyone that thinks the government has made and continues to make a total mess of this situation?

The latest Sunday Independent poll shows that 56% of people that responded think we have already taken in too many refugees/asylum seekers and our government is planning for another 80-100k.

That's a big 'bulk' of people who responded to that poll you are tarring as "anti-media, anti-elite, climate change deniers, anti-vaccine, anti lockdown and claim to be defending their national culture from 'outsiders'."

I have zero problems with immigrants or genuine refugees and by the way, i'm vaccinated, I've had boosters and I get all my media from reputable sources etc.

What I do have a problem with is the absolutely shambolic way Roderic O'Gorman has managed the situation. Some of the protestors have acted disgracefully but that still doesn't mean that O'Gorman's ineptitude shouldn't be highlighted at every opportunity.

Dismissing everyone that has an issue with our insane immigration policy (and completely out of their depth politicians) as anti this and anti that is not going to do any good. Common ground needs to be found. If that doesn't happen soon, this situation is going to get a lot worse.

*Edited to correct figures

I'm slightly dubious about that 56% figure. The question as asked in the poll yesterday was quite a leading one - 'too many refugees' in relation to or in comparison to what exactly?

It would be like them asking 'Is the Taoiseach paid too much money?' Again I'd ask, too much in relation to what....other European PMs, other Irish ministers, the average Irish working wage, wages in the public sector, people on social welfare....what exactly?

On the issue of O'Gorman, he is not even responsible for immigration and how many people enter the country. That falls on the cabinet and the Dept of Justice. His job is to find accommodation for those who have already entered.

My reading of the poll is that it must refer to Ukrainian refugees (i.e. "too many refugees") which immediately blows a whole in much of the refugees arriving without documents arguments, as it seems it's actually the Ukrainian numbers that people have a problem with.

I actually agree that the Govt have made a hames of the accommodation issue. They have moved very, very slowly and often failed to take up offers of accommodation that were being made by members of the public and also seem to be poor at planning ahead - there's no excuse for any of that.

Do you think we can fit in another 80-100k, be they Ukrainian refugees or asylum seekers from other countries, given the current situation and the potential loss of thousands of hotel beds for the tourist season?

Or do you not think we should take a step back and formulate some sort of plan? It hardly makes sense to keep ploughing on regardless and accepting huge numbers we cannot look after properly.

*Edited to correct figures.