Immigration to Ireland - policies, challenges, and solutions *Read OP before posting*

Why would Fine Gael or others even want to change the immigration laws if they don't believe immigration is harming Ireland? These are very much the opinions of the right or far right.....certainly not of the 'centre' or the left.

Not real changes, cosmetic tweaking designed to minimise any political hit they might take over the issue. I don't believe they would take such a hit even if they ploughed straight ahead and damn the torpedoes but it it's not unreasonable to fear it, given the amount of hue and cry about immigration at present.

The latest red c opinion poll on political parties.

That's fine. But that still doesn't take away from the fact that the National Party are the closest to the Farmers Alliance in terms of a political party that actually exists.

Thats because ya have a completely biased view on immigration. Ain't too hard to discern reading all your comments. Absolutely no common ground whatsoever.

Still no answer as to how you have voted in more referendum then me.

I agree, but it's not a change in legislation that is needed, it's a government mismanagement issue.

People need to protest government inaction. That doesn't involve burning homeless immigrants tents, or protesting outside DP centres etc.

it's not immigration that is an issue, it's government.

Somehow, I think that the next election will be very different from what came before, just my thinking. There's a rising tide of dissatisfaction in the Country with nearly every facet of Life here in Ireland, Housing and Health, rising prices etc. driving dissatisfaction, and a lot of these problems are being linked to inward migration. No, I don't think that the next election will be the usual Irish Election, by any means. There are big changes afoot I believe, but what form will theywill take? Have to wait and see.

Well, I don't have any issues with immigration into Ireland by anyone, UK or EU citizens, visa holders or people claiming asylum. All legal. No issues.

what I would propose though, is every single person coming into the country, planning on living here for more than 3 months should be required to register their name and address. Possibly in the local county council offices.

Some required changes:

Process as many asylum applications as possible at the border rather than bringing people into the never-ending system wherein they're accommodated at our expense. Fingerprinting done at the border. Anyone found to have asylum in another country should be returned immediately to that country. Appeals against decisions should be done from overseas at the expense of the applicant.

Get rid of vague "permission to remain" category for asylum seekers. And the "subsidiary protection" category for that matter.

Make airline staff check passports before disembarking from flights. Have more airport staff as passengers disembark to ensure same. Anyone who attempts to destroy their documents or does not cooperate at the border gets returned immediately.

Significant increase in fines to airlines who allow people to board planes without required visas, or who allow passengers off planes without ID.

Enforced deportations.

Exit checks leaving Ireland.

Those refused entry at the border should not be allowed into open custody, as currently happens.

Reduce the issuing of general work permits to non-EU citizens. There should be no need to bring in people from outside of Europe for unskilled labour when there are many millions of unemployed people across the EU.

Nobody should be entitled to citizenship after just three years living here.

Advanced level of English required for citizenship.

Significantly reduced welfare to non-citizens.

This is a great example of why referendums on complex issues don't work.

But they did work for very complex issues like abortion and same sex marriage. Or they don't work only when you don't like the result?

They work for getting the people's will enshrined in law. They are used for changes to the Constitution because there is no other way. For other thing that normally don't require a referendum one can be still be held as a consultative referendum.

No. They are required in order to change the constitution.

There is no consultative referendum in Ireland. There is an ordinary referendum, which has never happened and is only for a specific piece of legislation.

There are no referendum to seek people's opinions.

Exactly. Usually only certain professions get vetted. Its use in this way is simplistic rhetoric designed to paint negative stereotyping of non Irish people as dangerous.