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

MegamanBoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094124#Comment_122094124

So the reason you don't have any meaningful public representation for your views is fear of name calling?

And not just name calling, name calling from the small minority we're lead to believe actually don't agree with you?

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094220#Comment_122094220

I wouldn't deny your latter point but I don't necessarily think refugees / asylum seekers / Ukrainians are dominating the public discourse to the degree that people imagine. Clearly it has been all over the news this week with Newtownmountkennedy, then the UK / Ireland row over the Irish border, then the Mount Street clearance, but there has been other weeks recently where immigration barely got a mention in the news.

It's definitely a big talking point this year, but the other ones like housing and the state of the health service and the cost of living haven't gone away either.

ArthurDayne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094122#Comment_122094122

No, I have many disagreements with how the country has been governed, but I also try to be humble to the fact that I'm sitting here behind a screen and 100% would not have the balls to hurl myself into the public arena to actually effect sustainable political change — and I have no doubt that all the wonderful things I would have implemented in this country would soon hit the brick wall of reality.

Running a country is not easy, running a country that can't really call the shots of the world in which it exists is probably even harder. I am humble to that fact, and tend to not go around arrogantly lambasting ministers who, by and large, at the very least help run what is a relatively peaceful, tolerant place where most people can live a pretty decent quiet life. Doesn't mean I'd vote for them or that they are beyond reproach — I just don't see the need for all the vilifying of them you get on here. Or indeed the levels of anger, moaning and "Helen is so stupid and Roderic is a traitor" type of stuff — usually expressed by people who (just like me) would fumble around and just f**k things up if they ever had to actually show the stupid Helens of this world how its all done.

ArthurDayne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094124#Comment_122094124

Your first paragraph and second paragraph seem to completely contradict each other there but OK.

bobster453

Interesting to note the amount of extremist far right social media posts that originate outside Ireland.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122093863#Comment_122093863

I find it odd you cannot offer an opinion on it. Very odd. Is that what the 2+2 line meant? You want to keep it a secret?

I think people that protest outside politician's homes are absolute loolahs. 100%. Especially when there are children involved. I am all for protests and I think the government are clueless and inept but I draw the line at those home protests. It's cowardly and thuggish behaviour from stupid people.

iamwhoiam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122093479#Comment_122093479

they lived in hovels and tenements and 10 to a room . Ah yes the good aul days before the famine where they all danced on the crossroads .

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094315#Comment_122094315

Why would that be surprising? Everyone knows the far right support in Ireland is miniscule.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094056#Comment_122094056

Would you do it yourself?

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094172#Comment_122094172

Would you do it yourself?

jam_mac_jam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094276#Comment_122094276

Not really. Nobody sees how you vote. So what you say or don't say in public might be different then how you vote.

As you saw with Brexit, Trump and our referendum. Ireland is no different then other countries and same thing will happen.

If the only people to talk about or even acknowledge the concerns of people are the crazy people then normal people will vote for them.

gerogerigegege

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094370#Comment_122094370

Possibly yes.

They've interfered in my life way to much and I've had enough of it

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094378#Comment_122094378

Ok then. I respect your honesty.

newhouse87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094315#Comment_122094315

Yes so not many far right people in ireland as has been said many many times on this thread.

nachouser

With the amount of properties burnt down around the country, they sure get around a lot.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094254#Comment_122094254

Issues concerning housing, health, education, jobs even are all being increasingly identified with immigration issues. Not that the latter is the sole cause but that it can only make things worse.

And that's why the public are unsettled. Most things are all right until they start affecting people personally. Or they are seen to inevitably impact on their lives, their children's lives and so on.

E.g. it used to be possible to get a GP appointment round here in a matter of a day or two. Now it's 3+ weeks. Not all refugee/ immigrant related but it don't help that the local town now has a healthy number on new non nationals about the place. There are 20 & 30 yr olds back living at home. Can't afford rents in Dublin. Not all refugee/ immigrant related but it doesn't help when the state is trying to hoover up accommodation to meet it's 'obligations' both to non nationals and social housing applicants generally. When it hands over €800 min for a bedroom in a house for a refugee, why would a student get anything cheaper and so on.

Then we see the tactics used by the Dept to house people in towns behind local communities backs. They won't communicate in advance much for fear of scaring the horses and then the same Dept complain when locals jump to conclusions or set up protests when buses start arriving etc.

Who knows where it'll all end up but for sure the government are spooked.

Coolcormack1979

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122093838#Comment_122093838

listening to latest path to power podcast and the anger in Newtown is palpable.apparently 2000 out on protest last Sunday and the locals being arrested only making it worse

DialecticAspirations

It's very telling that this seems to be the most active thread on the site.

I'm an Irishman who left the country 17 years ago; this problem didn't exist in Ireland back then.

Finally it's reached Ireland, up until recently protected by geography only (the last stop on the bus route, as it were...).
As many have noted here, the problems Ireland is now experiencing have already happened elsewhere, years ago (famously in Germany in 2015 with >1Mn immigrants received within a year, followed quickly by various problems, such as occured at Cologne at NYE).

Aside from some misplaced sympathy for how hard politician's jobs are, most people in this thread who are writing or "thanking", seem either unhappy or outright angry with the failures of their government.
How could they not see these problems coming?

Unfortunately, as has been seen elsewhere things are most likely going to get an awful lot worse before they get better....

Tenzor07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094346#Comment_122094346

That's your opinion and you know what they say about them.

I support the right to protest, and if a protest causes public order or trespass offences then the Gardai are empowered to act on the transgressors…

Viscount Aggro

Things are going to get worse, before they get really bad.

thomas 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094591#Comment_122094591

welcome to the Irish far right - 80% and growing.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094591#Comment_122094591

One thing that always infuriates me about this country is how we can never learn from the mistakes or warnings of others - instead we not only have to repeat them, but add an "Irish twist" that generally makes the situation that much worse.

We've done it here again and it's now gotten to the point of damage control, because the country and social fabric has been irrevocably changed because of it.

Some will continue to say that it's all overblown racism/xenophobia/whatever-other-nonsense-term and it'll "be grand" (another attitude I hate) or even beneficial - but I think most know that Ireland isn't unique or special and so will not be spared the same outcomes as countries that are further down this path are experiencing now.

bobster453

If as has been claimed, a large percentage of illegal immigrants come here via the north how did they get there?

Last time I checked there was a lot of water between us and the uk.

Seems to me somebody is facilitating the onward movement of people..either HMG or criminal enterprises(is there a difference nowadays?).

Tackling at source is the only effective solution imo.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094229#Comment_122094229

Yeah, it's why for example the local FF candidate might say to you what's happening is absolutely crazy on the doorstep but at the same time won't put that on his leaflets or won't speak about it to media. It's been like this since this issue ever started - you cannot talk about it publicly or the media and our NGOs like IRC will come down on you brand you a racist dogwhistler.

Basically the issue has been packed away into the closet at the back but now the door has burst open and has spilled out.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094229#Comment_122094229

Yeah kind of like how everyone knew what the Catholic Church were up to but most stayed quiet for fear of the church/parish turning on them.

I mean it's actually a fairly repeated theme in society's. I'm shocked you're shocked by it.

Actually no now that I think about it I'm not shocked at all.

BPKS

Looks like Hazel Chu is far right now with her "D4 and D6 don't have the resources to deal with immigrants" on the radio this morning.

At least when people in rural communities along the western seaboard were saying this, they were labelled far right racists so I assume Hazel will be tarnished with the same brush now.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094606#Comment_122094606

I'd wager the vast majority of Irish people would feel protesting outside the Harris home in front of his wife and kids is a disgusting thing to do. You aren't even brave enough to answer a question about it on an anonymous forum.

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094729#Comment_122094729

Oh noes, not Hazel! What is the world coming to?

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122094736#Comment_122094736

I wouldn't even call it a 'protest' btw. Those wasters showing up outside his house in the evening time are there to bully and intimidate.

(Try doing that to a PM in one of their beloved right wing countries like Hungary and they would be beaten to a pulp by the police).

Blind As A Bat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122093841#Comment_122093841

Actually the figure has now been updated to 1,676 male asylum seekers without accommodation. Basically we now have 1,676 vagrants wandering around Dublin city centre. And that number is growing every day. 127 new applicants in the last week. If that continues, we're looking at about 4,000 more by the end of the year. This is basically a national emergency which the Irish government has brought about themselves. I've lived through plenty of bungling and blundering by various governments, but this really takes the biscuit. When and how is it going to be stopped?