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

The current population of Nigeria is 200 million, its projected to be 400 million by 2050 The total population of Africa is currently 1.6 billion, by 2050 its projected to be 2.5 billion. If just a small percentage come here we'll never be able to supply enough housing. Even if we drew a line in the sand today and decided on no more refugees or asylum seekers it would take years to catchup on housing.

In fairness many people who went abroad would have booked in advance. Remember what a long grey five months we had up to June?

Its not a very good article really if it relies on those figures.

I would say the high cost of hotel rooms /holiday homes / dining out in Ireland are the main reason tourism is badly affected.

This is something posters have been complaining about for years yet suddenly it is all down to asylum seekers.

Is it even shocking anymore? I don't know how this happened in any place but Ireland in that no matter what little village or town you go to there are asylum seekers everywhere and I do mean everywhere but sure it's not a problem everything will be fine, let's just keep bringing them and keep our mouths closed.

One of the most worrying aspects of thousands of refugees coming to Ireland is the lack of clarity or the reasoning behind the vast influx of mainly adult male refugees. The government, or even local representatives, have kept tight lipped and any discussion that takes place gets shut down immediately.

Case in point, somebody posted a video on the Dun Laoghaire thread of a coach load of male refugees being unloaded into the old Senior Collage building in the centre of the town. The mod threatened to close the thread after a 'welcome with open arms' poster whipped out the racist card. By the looks of things it was an over reaction, but this whole trend of shutting arguments down and labelling anyone that even raises a concern as a racist is totally ridiculous and needs to stop.

Have you heard of the concept of supply and demand? Over half the hotel beds supply in some counties is now gone for refugees. The ones that haven't taken refugees now have no competition and can charge accordingly. And yes half the hotel beds suddenly gone is all down to asylum seekers.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.donegaldaily.com/2023/03/30/summer-concerns-as-50-of-donegal-tourism-beds-contracted-to-state/amp/

In many parts of the country loads of the hotels are owned by a single individual. When they convert from tourism to the asylum seeker/refugee industry then obviously that area will have a high concentration.

Interesting how you have gone from claiming to not be far right to cheerleaders far right strategy

Thanks for the thoughtful response.

I don't know about SF + Independents being all that unlikely. If SF were a few seats short of a majority wouldn't it make more sense to take on board a handful of Independents rather than the whole of FF.

As for grubby and short lived - the previous government to this, Kenny/Varadkar, depended on nine Independents and ran its term.

Something else I alluded to in the piece: You hear a lot of leftist parties discussing their attitude to a future coalition with SF. To my mind they don't seem nearly worried enough about SF taking their seats. If there was an election in the morning I think SF would have a good chance of picking up every PBP seat.

Last time PBP depended on SF transfers more than anyone else when SF were getting two quotas everywhere while running only one candidate.

Half of Brid Smiths vote was SF transfers. No wonder she's retiring.

Very enjoyable discussion and I'm sure we can rely on the admin to let us know if we're getting off topic.

I think you're being a bit too dismissive of the workability of a government dependent on 9 or 10 Independents especially since we've had a stable long lived one recently.

On the other hand I would by no means write off the possibility of SF partnering up with FF. It would be the final nail in the coffin for FF in my opinion. SF would strangle them and mop up the remnants.

It's the kind of self centred thing Micheal Martin would be up for but presumably he'll be gone before decisons like this are being made.

Slim chance of it if the next FF leader was one who was looking to promote the party instead of himself. Such an old fashioned idea.

How would an opposition of 30 FGers and 20 Independents function? I don't think the current all party consensus and groupthink would survive it.

The everything I disagree with is racist card, can only be played for so long.

Anyone who thinks a large influx of refugees doesn't drastically alter the demographics of a country, need only look at what happened to Lebanon. Before the large influx of Palestinian Refugees (who were legitimate refugees fleeing from the Zionist expansion of illegally occupied land), where so numerous that the country's demographics shifted. It once was a Christian dominant country, and now is a Muslim dominant country.

Faith is a big influence/driver of culture and identity. So the Lebanon that was is now no more.

Not saying that this is happening here, but that it can happen, so is something to be mindful of when allowing in refugees/migrants... and that is coming from someone who is a migrant.

It's been about two years since I heard anything from people in FF about going in with SF. Have I missed more recent stuff?

Willie O'Dea said he's resigning the whip if they go in to coalition again with anyone.

Since we're cycling through the coalition options there's also the one for which we have a precedent. Main party (SF here) plus just enough Independents to form a minority government propped up in a confidence and supply arrangement by FF. (Might be more acceptable to FF)

Of course we've no idea. That arrangement above took months to get in place and could have gone other ways.

What we can be fairly sure of is that there will be around 20 Independents elected (as in recent times) and as always they will lack any ideology. Their sole focus will be on reflecting the needs of constituents. And with 75% of the country feeling we've taken in too many immigrants and similar numbers of rural dwellers angry at the green agenda that's what the majority of these Independents will be voicing. Like their political lives depend on it.

Government extends suspension of visa-free travel for people with refugee status

https://www.thejournal.ie/government-extends-suspension-visa-free-travel-refugee-status-6118589-Jul2023/

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the decision was ‘carefully considered’ and is ‘necessary to protect the integrity of Ireland’s immigration system’.

Good to see some measures from the govt in recognition of that portion of asylum seekers that are taking the piss to exploit our system.

Even they are beginning to wake up to the unnecessary strain we’re bringing upon ourselves