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

Harris is a privileged, insulated individual who has never had any real experience before he entered the political world as Frances Fitzgerald's assistant. As I've said before, he, McEntee and others are an example of Leo's "New FG" and when you think of their competence and ability for the job that's not a compliment. Even Enda "man with two pints" Kenny wasn't as bad!!

Like Leo and Micheal Martin before him, he wanted the top job and he got it regardless of ability. In this case it's because like Brian Cowen, his predecessor ran before the fall.

But don't worry, regardless of elections or protests or the other problems we're already seeing, Harris, Helen and all the rest will be just fine thanks to the salary, benefits, pension plan that we as taxpayers pay for, and the post-domestic politics options of the speaking/lobbying circuit or maybe the EU.

Failing upwards no matter what.

It's not a conspiracy theory to say that this is part of a larger plan to increase the population of the country. It's stated FG policy first mooted by Coveney several years ago now. It's also long since established that our governments are not only happy, but eager to hand over control to others - after regaining Independence they handed it off to the Church who held the country back for decades and abused the population (generally and otherwise) in the process, then when their grip loosened, they handed control to the EU, and even an unelected group like Tony Holohan and NPHET got their turn.

It's thus no wonder that through this mix of incompetence, abdication, and subservience that we now find ourselves overrun with people we haven't a hope of dealing with - some legitimate and deserving, but most apparently chancers trying to get what we have and breaking what limited laws and controls we do have in the process.

It's also no surprise that Harris (the second accidental/default Taoiseach we've had in 15 years) is both incapable of dealing with it, but unmotivated to as well. As I said above, it's stated FG policy and he certainly isn't going to go against our "friends" in Europe or our "obligations" to do so. Nope, he's achieved his goal (regardless of how long it lasts) and that is what matters.

As I said a few days and weeks ago, at this point we're into damage limitation. It's too late now to stop or push back on this resettlement program (what else can it be) and there's no political will to do it anyway. The Government would rather send in our own police force against citizens who dare to speak out against this massive change in their communities.

We may be "rich" as a country - on paper anyway - but we live in a society where the fundamentals of housing, healthcare, childcare, transport, costs of living and just even the prospects of improving your lot have been massively eroded by particularly 15 years of waste, incompetence and cronyism by FG led Governments. The social contract between Government and citizen has been broken. The former have forgotten they serve the latter, and the latter are just cash cows to fund the lifestyles and half-baked "solutions" of the former.

Even though FF ran the country off an economic cliff, it was at the behest of a population who wanted cheap housing and investment, "free" money, and all the other Tiger excesses. Under FG what wasn't nailed down was sold off, our involvement in the EU project"/problems has been further entrenched, and our political leadership has (certainly in my lifetime) never been weaker and the electoral system damaged as a result of now bypassing the results through Confidence and Supply and Coalition.

To be honest, I don't know how we as a country come back from all this. It's not really our country anymore anyway. We're now little more than a minor province of the grand EU experiment. An occasional thorn (thanks to our taxation and FDI policy which has also since been undermined), or "useful idiots" with which to beat the likes of the UK with (how dare they leave the club), but our leaders have sold out our country and our future and that of our children for.... What? Personal benefits and attaboys from our "betters"? Somehow I doubt that our kids and grandkids will thank us for it.

The problems we're seeing are only the beginning unfortunately. We only need to look to other countries in Europe and just next door to see where this path leads. Ireland isn't special or unique and won't be spared the same consequences and outcomes. It's fantasy to think otherwise, but yet we have people here in public life, in NGOs, and even on this thread who insist that the concerns, the evident problems, the consequences are all the product of "far right" influences, racism, xenophobia or whatever other buzz words are trending today.

Meanwhile real people (citizens and natives whose needs should always be first) are left to deal with the fallout of this agenda - but sure who cares about them, right?

Of course they'll be back on the next bus if they're getting €75 reduction in their weekly payment. Weather is mild now, why stay indoors and get paid less?

Post should be pinned, an excellent synopsis of the current situation which will unfortunately come to fruition.

History will not be kind to this gombeen government.

I've shared ESRI studies on IPA workforce participation.

We don't capture data here to allow for your particular measure of contribution, perhaps because it's such so limited and open to misuse by those pursuing a hateful and prejudiced agenda?

I haven't for a minute suggested that IPAs are "unable to do anything else or you think they are beneath anything other than a life of low pay".

You've come up with that all by yourself and I find it quite repulsive.

Misinformation 😂 😂 😂

It's quite clear from the article what actually happened.

It's published in a widely read international newspaper, if there was something inaccurate in the claim that two Irish citizens were deported, McDowell and the dept have had twenty years to correct the record.

And if you search on the UN site and look at the conventions, you will see that different countries would put stipulations in saying that they wouldn’t do this part of it or wouldn’t do that part of it. These stipulations weren’t just added in the 1950s either.

I must try and find the link

Are these charities that are buying all these tents or would it be a state body who has to use the public procurement system?

The Government's failure over the last number of years has been really shown up this Spring. Funnily enough it hasn't really discouraged those who urge very light touch regulation of immigration.

The country is in a serious situation, people are very disillusioned, and this is at a time of full employment. There is big political change coming, not in the local elections, but in the next two general elections.

its too late, government parties and SF are past the point of no return for many voters now.

What is the nature of this situation in the UK? When a migrant seeks asylum what happens? Are they given accommodation in UK owned centres or hotels or just given a few quid and told go away for now.

I'm of the information that you could have any number of AS's/illegals in the one house and this is repeated thousands of places across the UK. All paying a bit of rent, but not much. Does someone know?

Does anybody know how much capacity is at Crooksling and City West?

The govt have cleared the tents again at the canal, but how much capacity is there at those camps and how quickly will it be eroded.

I wonder if the IPO functions will be moved to the camps ultimatley, in order to stop numbers that cannot be processed congregating in the city centre.

whatever. : "Imprisonment is hugely expensive last figure I can recall is 100k per prisoner per year but it serves as a deterrent and punishment to the individual and a protection to wider society "

Well not only that but a prisoner inside for 1 year costing the state/prison service 100k or whatever it is now with inflation, saves a hella lot of money with them not being arrested for other crimes within that year. And I don't just mean arrest, its the wider cost of them stealing something/criminal damage they may have caused/medical treatment/reports for somebody they've assaulted/ funeral costs of somebody's death they played a part in/free legal aid they benefit from whilst under prosecution/social welfare payments the scum receive. All of that would be astronomical and yes fool me and you the taxpayer are the purchasers of those 'goods.'

Build Thornton Hall fcs

Meanwhile while they throw money out and waste taxes my elderly friend is waiting 26 hours on a chair in A and E . I want to cry or scream

Fair enough, we sanction them, cut off all aid, cease trading and pull out peacekeepers.

So an already impoverished country with already potentially dysfunctional state administration and already in potential conflict situation is driven further into those problems. Result? More people leave. More people seeking a better life elsewhere. More people claiming asylum.

We somehow manage to cut that country off from the world and somehow manage to prevent migration from there? Great. Then they flee into the neighbouring countries and start the process from there.

Punitive measures against these countries sound tempting. A kind of iron fist hardline shutdown that puts some manners on them. But all we gain from it is one more exacerbated situation somewhere in the world that increases the demand for migration.

Thornton Hall will probably get built when the Hate Speech Bill is passed. And anyone with a perceived slight will be turfed in.