Immigration and Ireland - MEGATHREAD *Mod Note Added 02/09/25*

As we don't have any exit checks, it's impossible to know how many left.

Do we even have an actual live register of how many UKR are here, other than checking PPSN activity? I doubt it.

We really need exit checks.

Even taking your numbers, Italy's population is 10 times ours, yet we took in comparable numbers.

And the country is 4 or 5 times bigger in physical size, yet we took in comparable numbers.

Italy gave billions in lethal aid and have about 400,000 Ukrainians living there at the moment.

Either way it's not some weird competition.

Putin like he has done before weaponised Refugees to try and destabilise the EU.

The EU counter acted it with TPD, and as directives go it has been beyond successful, especially here.

But but but Car Tax.

It's just one example. let's face it it's not exactly Gaza, where people were on their knees to start with before they were bombed to kingdom come. I despise Putin but I have little admiration for Zelensky (whose approval rating were below 20% on the eve of the war). He's spent the last 4 years hawking his way around the world begging for more arms and more money, as if we are all sh++ing them both without end. It's turned into a war of attrition with no end in sight, we could be here in 4 years time having exactly the same arguments. Ultimately this war wont end on a battlefield but around a negotiation table but I hear scant mention of even an effort to end it.

Fair enough but a lot of those homeless people are there through addiction to alcohol or drugs in lot's of cases. That's on them not government or anyone else

Zelensky (whose approval rating were below 20% on the eve of the war)

Unsurprisingly that isn't true. More Kremlin talking points.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/693293/charts-show-ukrainians-shifting-views-leadership.aspx

I despise Putin

Yet you are exclusively attacking Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Refugees.

Interesting.

Ultimately this war wont end on a battlefield but around a negotiation table but I hear scant mention of even an effort to end it.

That is because Putin, the warmonger, who you despise apparently has no interest in peace.

Anyway there is a thread for the War, where your unique insights will be appreciated I imagine.

Well imagine you are have land property in Ukraine regardless and are reluctant to leave .Then you have the Ukrainian military bombing where you live how would you feel .

This link by 1994 shows a sizeable dissatisfaction after the majority referendum in 1991 .

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10848779608579417

This link chronicles the unrest in Crimea and East Ukraine in 1994-1995 .

A referendum result in Crimea 1994 78 % for alignment with Russia .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Crimean_referendum

While I disagree with you, the merits of arguments as to how the war could and should end is not relevant to considerations of how individual people react to the reality that a war is ongoing.

Saying "it's not exactly Gaza" is distinctly unfair. People were still fleeing Belfast right through the 20th century in a conflict situation which was far, far less intense than anything we have witnessed in Gaza.

I do not see how anyone, with any degree of seriousness, can genuinely say with confidence that if Ireland were to be subjected to a vicious military assault involving aerial bombardment of cities and the invasion of swathes of land by a foreign military power that Irish people would not be fleeing in droves to get themselves and their families out of harm's way. They would end up in the UK, America, Europe, Australia etc etc anywhere they had some opportunity to get to safety but also join family or friends or go where they have an opportunity to rebuild their lives or maintain their lives until its perfectly safe to go home.

From that point on, life gets pretty complicated. There seems to be a lot of people here however who seem to believe that in the event of such a war, they'd perfectly happy just move a few miles away from where the worst is happening and that would be grand. Or that if they did flee abroad then it would just be a simple and straightforward exercise to go back home permanently and feel perfectly comfortable pattering about — and sure if it all kicks off again you just take off again. Super easy.

There are so many standards and expectations being applied on Ukrainian refugees which anyone with a good degree of sincerity cannot seriously claim they would apply to themselves.

Despite the danger involved a significant number of Ukrainians are choosing to return home. Interesting that the financial strain of living in a host country is cited as a key factor in this decision

Homesickness brings reconsideration

Despite the dangers, more than 1.6 million people have returned to frontline areas in Ukraine, such as the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Sumy. 

For many, the financial strain of living in their host countries and the longing for home outweigh the risks of moving back there, according to Save the Children research.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/04/21/following-four-years-of-full-scale-war-which-eu-countries-are-hosting-the-most-ukrainians

Or fleeing to other countries first and then coming here when they found out the dummies we have running the country was going to give them everything for free.

She is basically Mother Teresa in a politician's clothing. Her vocation in life is missionary work and giving shelter to the poor and less fortunate. In times past such a person would have gone to El Salvador/Ethiopia etc and you'd see images of appreciative children all around her as she walked.

Now she's found a way to take that work home with her, unfortunately.

Thats brings a whole new meaning to "working from home". We do have a fair few Mother Teresa's in this country who like to preach to us but when asked to step up they would be found wanting.

There’s what 25+ rooms in that house in a nice park in city center in Dublin we give to the president

Think of all the refugees that can fit!