Immigration in Ireland

[Ivebeentofairyhousebutiveneverbeentomeath]

I'm interested to hear people's viewpoints on this topic, especially given the recent protests. My own opinion is that it is important to help genuine asylum seekers and people wanting to come to Ireland and contribute. At the same time, I understand people's concern about asylum seekers who are deliberately destroying travel documents. I can understand people's concerns. Just wondering what other people's two cents is. Just to give context, I am an Irish person who grew up in Ireland.

In my local school we have a 250 student waiting list for 1st Year. Just the waiting list. Amenities are at breaking point.

We as a nation have used emigration to solve our over population for over 200 years. Now it seems the reverse is happening . We must help those,who cannot help themselves . War in Ukraine . Turkey and Syrian people need help. Accommodation needs sorting government departments need to communicate properly . Lots of property needs to be commissioned to help those in need. Lets return to Ireland of the welcomed

We know, from Covid, that if the will is there to make radical changes quickly then it can be done.
I'm on the housing list for years, and still years away from being housed. My dc was diagnosed with asd in 2020, and shortly after his first appointment arrived - with a date of 2024.
I can't even access private services for him as there are just not enough OTs etc.
I drive past boarded up houses in one of the council estates in my town, they've been boarded up for years. Years! In the midst of the worst housing crisis this country has known.

We need radical change. The will to do it is not there from this government.

It isn't just housing though is it? You can't build a load of houses and grand job done. There needs to be the services too. Enough childcare, enough school places, enough gps, enough dentists, enough hospitals, enough public specialist health services, enough police, enough public transport, enough 3rd level education etc etc. There isn't enough of any of those things right now, add 70000 people last year, add another 70000 this that's 2 galway cities. How realistic is it to create 1 never mind 2 new cities in short spaces of time. Realistically we probably need 3 becasue there wasn't enough of anything to start with.

Magical thinking, land of a 1000 welcomes is fine but really you think it's possible to make 3 new cities with services that the people need quickly and efficiently? There's a roundabout in Galway city that they've been making into a junction for the past 9 months and it's still not done but yeah sure just build more houses and we'll be grand.

There building again near me, nothing under 700k

They need to build a lot of studios /one bed apartments for 150 max. Build up. That would create availability in the 2 bed flats and small terraced houses market.

There are a lot of single people now, forced to houseshare forever, unable to free up rooms for rent in flat shares because as one person they cannot afford a 2 because place.

They would buy but they can't. I think they should push to get loads of studios and one beds built but instead it's the usual, 3 bed semi that only two very fortunate people with savings and better than average income can afford.

No thought seems to go in to it at all.

This.
Im an immigrant to Ireland. I now have Irish babies/children. I work. I pay (a lot) of tax. I support my local community in many ways. Im working on my Irish language. Ive really tried to embrace my new home but recently im feeling increasingly unwelcome here and its heartbreaking. I feel embarrassed for people in this relatively wealthy country with such a history of (often illegal) emigration who want to deny others the opportunity for a better life that my kids irish ancestors got.
People travel on false documents when seeking refuge sometimes because its the only way they can escape. People destroy documents out of sheer fear and desparation. Have some fucking heart. And "unvetted men" what does that mean? Unless they work in public service in Ireland pretty much every man you meet is unvetted.
I find this whole thing incredibly sad and really feel for people searching for a better life who know they are not wanted here. I personally met a ukranian mum here in a B&B with her children who watched protestors outside shouting for them to go home. To war. It beggars belief.

This is where I would appreciate a "like" button or a thumbs up.

I find it interesting that Gary Gannon has changed his tune. He went from 100% defending the accommodation in places like East Wall to asking why more middle class areas aren't being used. Clearly he's reading the room in terms of his voters and moving sideways. Obviously, even if his demand is reasonable, it's 100% never going to happen and he knows this. It's just a sop to his voters. Funny how flexible politicians can be.

Ireland, with only a fraction of the UK population, will be overrun and stripped of its community, culture and history within the next 20 years.

My Dad (God rest his soul) went to the US as a young boy with his parent in search of a better life. They were economic migrants without any skills, degrees or a penny to their name, escaping the poverty of Ireland in the 50s and the fact that my grandmother was persecuted and ostracised for having my Dad out of wedlock. My Dad joined the US army travelled the world and was then stationed in the UK (where he met my mother) then went into business and worked hard and made a life for himself in the US. He only twice went back to Ireland in his lifetime after leaving a a a young boy.

the Irish were a nation of economic migrants and Irish people abroad are many times the number in Ireland. Irish culture has spread because of migration and it saddens me that people in Ireland have forgotten that and our history of economic migration. We need to celebrate our history and embrace everyone who is escaping persecution and has the drive to move to make a better life for themselves.

In the sudden torrential rain recently, with thunder and lightening overhead, two women were trying to stay dry and safe under a tree visible from my window.
I called them in and they stayed inside for ten minutes and then I loaned them brollies to get to their car. No big deal for me.
I have to honestly admit that if it was a large group, (I live in a small home) I wouldnt have been able to give refuge and it wouldn't have felt safe.

The point I'm making is that you have to be realistic about what resources you can practically offer and so you need to place limits. It's not about your political allegiances nor the historical past, necessarily, as Ireland is a smaller country than those where the Irish have traditionally emigrated.

But we worked when we emigrated, no one housed us or fed us for free. I was in a tourist town this summer with no beds as all the hotels were housing Ukrainians. Also most pubs wouldn't serve lunch and when we asked they said they couldn't get the staff. I was like what about the full hotels of Ukrainians and they said they won't work more than 19 hours as they lose the 250 a week if they do. People learn FAST. Fair enough to help them settle, learn the language but 18 months in people should be self supporting.

Where is the evidence of this? I would like your peer reviewed analysis and statistical evidence please.

I have to say that in Ireland, immigration has personally affected me very badly.

I used to go to meetup groups in my town. There is a refugee centre about thirty minutes away. An older man from this centre now comes to every single meetup. He is horrible. He makes sexual remarks to me all the time. He is bitter that he has a bad experience in Ireland. It took four years before he could work I think. He is nasty to the Irish people at the meetups. He says "oh you Irish have it so easy". He makes sexual and crude remarks all the time. He is ready to start a fight all the time because he is so angry. I now feel like I can't go to any meetups anymore because he goes to every single one.

I do think it should be taken into consideration how these people affect local people's lives.

"shouting for them to go home. To war. It beggars belief".

I disagree. I can understand why people are frustrated with Ukrainian refugees here.

There are constant wars all over the world. It does not mean that ireland - a small country - is able to take refugees from every war torn country.

We are a tiny country. We can only do so much before it affects our own resources

Non working / non contributing to society immigrants are not wanted by a lot of irish people as they rightly feel they the tax payers are funding them- child benefit/ housing etc etc .
such immigrants have given nothing to this state and think we owe them a living/ owe them healthcare in a system which is at breaking point already with elderly irish people.
Im sorry its sickening our open door policy . Single random young men put into camps/ hostels- nothing to do all day until their case comes up. African men are just dumped into towns all over ireland and the govt expect them to integrate into a total alien culture. Its ridiculous. We are meant to care about ukraine over our own country. The wastage of money and resources is just shocking.
Ireland is being swamped with people . The percentage of ukrainians ireland has taken in is head and shoulders above the tiny amount the UK took in and us with only 5.2 milion people

I think in general that people are becoming more open in airing their concerns regarding immigration. I don’t think many are anti immigration but some can be pushed that way by ignoring their concerns. Calling everyone Far right who says hold on let’s talk about this is no longer working as well as it did before.

Irish people emigrated in the past… yeah and so why does that mean we can’t have a conversation about immigration now?

Other countries have run into serious issues and yet in Ireland the attitude is oh that won’t happen here. We should be looking to others to see what hasn’t worked but reality is that it’s too late. The shift in demographics is so big and so quick that our opportunity to do it well is gone.

I don’t believe in zero immigration or open borders. I do believe that any immigrants should be able to support themselves without any state help (unless refugees from a war zone then they should be aided to upskill and helped start out a new life so they can support themselves). If you have large amounts of immigration from people who don’t have education or skills to adequately support themselves and end up in poverty it doesn’t end well.

I get people want to be nice and welcoming, however serious questions have to be asked. It very much suits the government for the well intentioned to tell everyone to stop questioning things other wise they are being unreasonable. Everyone should be asking where are the plans for the infrastructure to take the dramatic population increase.

@elephantintheboxroom

I feel sick that our culture is being completely eroded with the numbers coming. Its outrageous whats happening. All these people from ' war torn ' countries why arent these men at home fighting Russia/ whoever ? Rte news reporting day and night news from Ukraine- (well at the start anyway - but still featuring )
I for one feel nothing for a country 1000's of miles away. Why should I ??
As if they would welcome hordes of irish.
We are governed by eu puppets
The harshest lockdown in europe if not the world and literally thousands welcomed from one of the least vaccinated euroopean countries and worldwide.

Poor people of east walll should be heard but now anyone with a disssenting voice is far right. Wait til this hate speech bill is rushed through by H mcentee - she is a truly awful person

We live in a rural town. The school is at bursting point. Resourses stretched. Id bet the primary schools in leafy D4 havent that volume of people.

Correct me if im wrong an austrian tourist stabbed in Dublin airport by a recent arrival.
Our towns are not as safe as they were. Elderly people living alone are feeling terrified.
The ordinary irish person is powerless now
I dread my kids living away for college.
No one cares. Its awful . Where are the refugees in kinsealy / Howth / Dalkey
Dublin is turning into an absolute ghetto
I absolutely loved the little irish lad with the black wooly hat at the ploughing saying what a great day He had- thats rural ireland. Long may it stay that way.
Before anyone has a go. I do think immigration can enrich a country but not in this way- we are literally swamped.

Chatting to a ukraimian who is 14 yrs here last week. Doesnt call herself irish altho here since the age 4. No no . Paying fees of 200 euro for a course in TCD with grants etc etc but her friend also from Ukraine but here 2 yrs has put off college as at the mo her fees would be 20k as non eu / not here long enough
Will wait a year or two to go to college to get the reduction. Playing the system - well there must be a course on it !! Poor poor Ireland

Context: I'm from Northern Ireland, near one of those towns where there are lots of British flags, sectarianism is very very prevalent. I'd be classified as a Unionist. I have worked in the tech sector all of my career. For job opportunity reasons, I've always lived and worked in the south east England, and for the past 15 years in Cork.

Where I'm originally from in NI is a "basket case" with respect to decent job opportunities in the software area. I've really valued the possibility to live and work in Ireland, as has my English DH. On a personal level it's been much better fit for our family.

With respect to immigration I'm very well educated, experienced, with specialist skills. The Irish education system is very very good with regards to software graduates, it's not rocket science but you do it so well! I'd estimate that about 50% of our new hires are immigrants. There are experienced professionals that Ireland badly needs. Many from the UK of course, a good from EU, a few Americans, but many from India too. Your country needs these educated workers.

The question of asylum seekers is related, but different. I'm wondering if there is a model of a country doing it well? Is there some best practice should be applied in Ireland?