Immigration and Ireland - MEGATHREAD *Mod Note Added 14/08/25*

Supply and demand. We created the demand and now the supply has arrived.

I get that it’s complicated and difficult, but that shouldn’t stop us looking for smarter solutions, instead of the governments approach of burning their heads, (nothing going on here approach) people calling for better security aren’t blindly backing O’Leary, they’re just looking for sensible measures to keep the country safe.

It's not that it's complicated and difficult.

It involves doing something that has literally never been done before, and Michael O'Leary is talking like it can get done yesterday.

On the very slim chance it can happen, it would take decades to get everyone around the table. And even then it's not a guarantee it would even get that far.

People need to stop taking Michael O'Leary's word as gospel. He's a bluffer and a spoofer who uses his loose language to distract from his own airline's horrific customer service.

O’Leary may be a showman who loves to stir things up, his idea deserves attention, especially since the government has yet to offer any effective solutions. Just because he’s a loud mouth doesn’t mean he’s wrong.

So why isn't he doing anything about it?

People are far too fascinated by billionaires who simply say things and are held to a completely different standard when it comes to actually doing things to back up their theories.

As of now, O'Leary has only ever said something should be done, while he's made no effort to actually do it himself.

However, many are so blind by the fact it fits in with their beliefs and opinions that they'll never stop to actually think why nothing is ever done by these billionaires who talk the talk.

So again, he's another bluffer who says things and does f*ck all about it.

And people who agree with his view will lap it up and say how right he is, while he gets away with talking the talk and not walking the walk.

For his idea to work, a large swathe of private companies (the airlines) are going to have to get on board with it. He can get that ball rolling.

However, he won't. All Michael O'Leary is good for, like many in the political, public and private sector, is saying things. However, unlike those in the political or public sector, he isn't expected to actually be proactive and back up his bluster. He'll have support for just opening his mouth.

Amazing how people say he should be running the country, when all he's shown he's capable of is running away.

There are two strands for his amazingly wonderful idea (that has zero chance of working).

One, the governments of every country collectively agree for the first time ever on a policy

Two, the private airline companies from across the world come on board.

Surely he can work on the second strand to speed up the process (if he actually cared) and have them all collectively ready to come on board, rather than waiting for governments to get their sh*t together before acting (thus delaying putting his master plan into action even further)?

Or is that asking too much of him?

Or do people even care about what his plan even entails? As long as he talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk it's ok?

End of the day, his plan requires every country in the world to do something that has never been done - agree on something. So it will never happen.

But f*ck it, as long as Michael O'Leary says things he's a great lad altogether, and sure 'he's right'.

Whatever mate, no time explaining simple concepts around double standards to you.

Heaven forbid a billionaire who talks the talk might actually back up his spoofing, but if you support talkers instead of those who actually take action, then we’ll continue to go absolutely nowhere with just a different bullsh*tter at the helm.

Hungary and Slovakia had zero applications in 2024:

So horrific that they flew 200m customers in the year to 31 march 2025, capacity utilisation over 90%

Maybe his opinions and experience are very valid. Maybe that’s why he’s rich and successful.

Lots of people dismissed his ideas that flying should be cheaper and accessible to everyone, not just the better heeled in society. Look how that turned out. Just because something hasn’t been done before is no reason to sneer at a new or different approach.

Agree. Every country has their own immigration rules. Carriers have responsibilities under immigration law for Ireland to ensure all passengers entering the country have valid travel documents, passport and visas if required. Carriers already establish identity and nationality before a person embarks because all commercial passenger flights (worldwide) have a manifest with passenger details, seat data, passport information, special needs etc. The idea that there are no controls, and that people can destroy or lose documents with no consequences is crazy.

Well aware that Ryanair wasn’t the first in the world but thanks for the history lesson.

They were the first in Ireland and Europe and 40+ years in the airline industry (or any sector) affords an individual a level of expert knowledge that shouldn’t be dismissed. Particularly an individual with such a spectacular success.