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

We don't know the criminal history of anyone coming into the country! From anywhere, except visa holders

We need to create a hard border for public transportation only. Busses, trains and taxis. Every single bus train and taxi on a cross border trip should be pulled over. Make it clear that it's the bus driver or taxi driver who will be arrested if they have not pre registered their occupants with dublin. Should reduce numbers drastically

I don't disagree with any of the above, but as Miharo's example shows above, people like Assad are deliberately coming here (and encouraging others to come here) because they know that they'll probably get away with it.

While yes, the Government are responsible for causing the conditions to enable this behaviour, guys like him are just as responsible. You can't absolve them of responsibility either.

Maybe I'm naive, but it would never occur to me to try and scam my way past a country's border controls. That's just how I was raised. Similarly, I didn't take the "Free Money" of the Tiger years because I would have had to lie on legally binding agreements to do so. I know many did to get their mortgages, but again that's just not me.

As I've said before, I'm a big believer in fairness. If some are expected to play by the rules then ALL should play by those same rules. Personal responsibility isn't absolved because "shure everyone does it".

But, maybe that's just me and really I should be cutting every corner, and pulling every stroke I can.

Maybe that's true.

But when you've got enough to eat, it's pretty easy to say 'I'd never steal food, even if I was starving'

People are desperate to come to western countries, hard to know what any of us would do if we lived in these circumstances.

I don't mean to be 'virtue signaling' but personally there's very little I'd rule out if it meant my children having a decent chance.

When will these lefties realize that when enough native Irish citizens want people deported, other countries just have to accept them!

It's why Michael McDowell was able to deport whoever he wanted when he was Minister for Justice.

It's written right here in this big book - 'Whoever questions this guff wants the country destroyed by foreign hordes'

We don't have a central European database of criminal convictions. You have to check each country.

The SIS system checks for warrants etc in European countries only.

Our asylum seekers are not coming from European countries though. If someone turns up here claiming asylum from an African country, you would need to check with that country for criminal convictions. That is, if that country even correctly keeps such records. Which is absolutely not a guarantee for most.

Of course, having a criminal conviction doesn't stop anyone from claiming asylum anyway, certain convictions are a definite bar to gaining refugee status however.

We have people here from the UK and EU, and we have no idea of their criminal convictions either, it's not just asylum seekers.

To be fair, I would agree that most of them are worth pursuing to differing degrees.

I'd disagree on offering citizenship as a reward for "time served" though. I'm not against rewarding and recognising people for making the effort to positively integrate and contribute, but that would need some exploration.

State accomodation is something that we can't even provide in sufficient quantity for those already here and in need. The Government has shown no interest in increasing that in any real numbers (despite the press releases). What is there though should be prioritised for our own native citizens.

When you say raise living standards - do you mean in those EU countries, or working with the source countries, because I'd argue that the latter would be more beneficial and effective long term. We simply cannot resettle any and all who arrive from the less fortunate/unstable areas of the world but we should try to pressure and incentivise their Governments to improve things at home rather than simply "exporting" the problems and people to Europe.

Border controls could very easily be implemented if the political will and mandate was there to do it. We live on an island after all. We don't have people crossing in dinghies and landing at random beaches. Yes we have a unmanned border with NI, but that may have to be reconsidered if it continues to be a source of the problems. Of course I realise that's politically unpalatable for a lot of reasons, but it COULD be done. Even increasing the "spot checks" by AGS in the interim that have been happening over the last few weeks would be a deterrent - or having immigration control at the likes of Busaras for NI originating buses etc.

I would agree that there is a problem with the level of debate and discussion on this issue generally, but I will point out that both "sides" are guilty of that. Education is the key but equally too is a need to realise that people have legitimate concerns that are not unreasonable and must be taken into account when designing the solutions. It's a balancing act as I said previously between supporting those who deserve it, identifying and rejecting those who don't, and not sacrificing the needs of the locals in the process. We are only a small island of 5 million with huge ongoing domestic challenges as it is. We can only do so much.

However, thank you for this post. Appreciate your engagement and input, even if I don't agree with all of it 🙂

Fair play to you, and I genuinely mean that, but you're still comparing apples to oranges.

As bad as things were in Ireland in the 70's and 80's they aren't comparable with conditions in the global south.

People here deride Somali migrants but more than one in ten children there won't live to the age of 5.

The health, welfare and education services we had in the 70's and 80's are miles beyond what they have now.

Nor can they hop on a boat to a wealthy neighbour, or find legal or illegal work relatively easily in the US or Australia.

That's not to say we're obliged to help people with the misfortune of being born to conditions like this. But we do have to deal with the reality that they will be coming here. Part of that reality should be looking at what's worked and not worked elsewhere.

Try living here.

What's the latest tent numbers update? not much about it the past few days.

Are they moving them on quick due to the week that's in it (elections) ?

Is there a news blackout on the situation with the tents in D4 - A quick search shows the last MSM article is 4 days ago

Looks like it, all very silent the past few days, I wonder why 🙄

The champions of the free media Gript, must have all the latest updates on it?

No. It wasn't. Anything but.

The register of electors is public property, updated weekly.

We're not allowed anecdotes here, so I can't tell you what happened in a different LEA in Kerry last week, or by which member of which prominent political family, but I can tell you that there's serious local anger over these strokes.