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

It seems like 'faux outrage'. We keep reading about the situation re. tourism in Killarney, when in reality these are just local issues and between them and the national government.

Is Boards full of threads about closure of rural post offices and Garda stations, compensation for flood damage, lack of public transport in certain rural areas, withdrawal of funding for regional schemes, lack of sufficient healthcare in certain areas, closure of schools etc?

Is that hostel the only asylum seeker accom in the town?

If so, its hardly a large influx and pretty much all towns have taken some people in.

I belive there are some holiday towns that have lost 60% or 70% of their tourist accom and of course that will create issues for the town.

Just proves that the word is most definitely out I guess. Ireland is now internationally recognised for being a haven for anyone with a sad story and there's record benefits on offer.

Not exactly the same thing as being known for Guinness, or our beauty spots and green fields really, but who needs tourism anyway.

Jeez, it is like all these people who take to twitter looking to cancel anyone who has an opinion with which they do not agree - bullying is rife but a refusal to believe the result of an opinion poll one disagrees with is shocking

The government have said over and over that large scale influx of asylum seekers is permanent. If the Ukrainians leave they will be replaced by those from the other many countries at war. The end of the Ukraine war will likely not have a significant impact on these issues.

It's grand so long as it's just words in a supermarket (well it's not, but howandever) - the problems start when it gets to scene like we saw a while back in the Citywest centre.

But there is only what, about ten or 15 thousand Irish homeless in hotels, and that is the highest levels ever. Very few of them are in hotels in isolated tourist areas. What we are experiencing is permanent replacement of the tourist industry with the asylum seeker industry.

The policy to permanently take in large numbers of asylum seekers is not an issue caused by the accommodation crises but an issue which massively exacerbates it.

Bear in mind that if a bogus AS directly spoke to Conor Pope, and told him about the bogus claim, Conor Pope would still not believe it.

I disagree with you on the ballot box. All the government and main opposition parties are aligned with the current policies on asylum seekers. The policies cannot be changed by vote. They can only change if EU policy changes first. We will do as we are told.

Self explanatory?. Best boys in the class hold on to low Corp tax. Ohwait they didnt.

It does seem to be a different tune alright.

But he did qualify the fact that ireland remains open to Refugees and Asylum Seekers, despite our accomodation challenges.

McEntee herself isn't fit for purpose - particularly as Minister for Justice, but even as a TD. She's the most inept, underqualified and thus dangerous senior politician we've seen in a long long time IMO and that is because her current post is such a critical one and which she is failing badly in.

Yet again she's more interested in virtue-signalling nonsense than the consequences these decisions will have on our country - not just now but for the next several decades. Of course she won't be impacted by these regardless.. it'll be her consituents and the rest of us that deal with the fallout (as several countries in Europe are struggling with even as I type this).

As bad as I think SF will be, FG and particularly its senior ministers need to go. I will keep saying this.... look back over the last decade of FG in Government and tell me if things are better now, or worse under their watch. What they haven't sold off, they've messed up to the point of farce and while people are struggling to pay bills or find a home they're busy welcoming any randomer with a sad story with a benefts package that has become internationally known! FF are bad enough but FG are much much worse and have proven it every time they've been at the helm.

While McEntee is busy rolling out the welcome mat, baiting for likes and kudos, and handing out citizenship like cereal packet prizes, the Gardai are quitting because of low morale and the revolving door justice system that she's responsible for, small communties are having dozens or hundreds of new arrivals dumped on their door with little to no warning or supports, and the signs that the magic money tree of Corporation tax may be dying are starting to emerge - but who cares about any of that? It's only the future of the country and what we will leave our children to deal with that we're talking about!

You only have to look at who's at the helm...

• McEntee : See above and my previous posts on this individual. A poster child for the dangers of nepotism and sympathy voting
• Varadkar: Likewise I've posted about him extensively too. Only interested in what will benefit himself, and will change stance according to what he thinks will achieve that
• Martin: His only goal was to not be the only FF leader NOT to be Taoiseach, and he achieved that by keeping FG in Government and handing the reins over to Tony Holohan and NPHET. He's also another one who is beholden to the EU and getting that pat on the head
• Ryan: Do I REALLY need to spell out the issues with having this guy in Government? Ideologues and crusaders are never good choices for the reality of politcs. His lot were still propping up the Government when the IMF were walking the streets, and they're doing it now when the streets are being overrun by junkies and criminals, and we have become a destination for anyone with a sad story at a time when the natives are struggling more than they have since the 1980s in some respects

The alternative is SF who think that the people "down South" care about a United Ireland as a primary aim. Sure, ask anyone in a random poll if they'd support it and the majority will say "yes, of course!" Then ask them about the increased taxes to pay for it, the splitting of investment and infrastructure spending, the further pressure on the HSE and other Government services (the NHS might not be perfect either, but the residents of NI would be mad to give it up for our version!) and the further dilution of their voice in the Dail by the addition and focus on NI issues - I think the second poll might be different!

That leaves either the various shades of left minority parties (no thanks - left-learning politics has gotten us where we are now!), or the gaggle of one-issue Independents - many of whom are ex-FF/FG anyway or more suited to being a local councillor - if that!

Of course, in an age of Coalition between the Big Two and Confidence and Supply agreements, it doesn't really matter anymore who you vote for as the Government will be decided afterwards in deals between them all anyway - and I haven't even mentioned the influence of the EU (much like the Church in the old days).

I know I keep repeating myself as I've said all of the above before - but the future of this country is pretty bleak in a lot of respects when, despite the "PR" of record tax reciepts and supposed wealth (the majority of which is on paper alone and showing signs of drying up), ordinary people have their "kids" living at home into their 30s or can't afford to have any in the first place, we're back to the days of long commutes to work because people can't find/afford a place nearby, and the cost of living isn't going to be getting any easier in the face of all of this, as well as the pressure that the above Ministers and their colleagues have added to all of these things by the free-for-all that is our immigration policy.

Honestly, if it wasn't for family ties here I would strongly consider leaving - but the sad thing is that a lot of other countries (cetainly in Europe) are experiencing many of the same issues and for a lot of the same reasons. I'm not sure how we "fix" it, but the current system isn't working for us here in Ireland anyway.

Agreed

I can imagine the only way the likes of those in the larger parties will change their tunes will be people writing to them regularly and raising these issues and demanding full and substantiated explanations for all this. “Our moral and indeed legal obligations” (tm) does not cut it anymore.

That aside it’ll be engaging them in reasonable debate on these issues any time one of them comes knocking on the front door.

Really pisses me off

Imagine kicking out homeless people, disgusting tbh

People need to get this idea out of their heads that the government give a toss about the locals, the taxpayers, the voters. Expecting respect from corrupt incompetent politicians will only lead to disappointment.

Like the housing boom of the 2000s, the current asylum seeker industry is being driven by a small number of well connected individuals using corrupt incompetent politicians to make vast profits. Its as simple as that, no conspiracies or anything complicated going on.