During the last migrant crisis in 2015, Sinn Féin said that Ireland should “not put an upper limit” on the number of refugees it accepts.
The claim came from their “10 Point Plan” on the refugee influx to Europe at the time, urging the government to “take responsibility” for the international crisis.
“HOUSE ALL REFUGEES”
“The recent track record of this State in supporting and protecting asylum seekers is frankly shameful considering our unique history of emigration,” the party wrote.
They added that the Irish government had a responsibility to citizens and asylum seekers, adding that they should provide housing for “all asylum seekers” who arrived in Ireland:
“This responsibility includes the provision of accessible and affordable public services and housing for all citizens and all asylum seekers.”
“NO UPPER LIMIT” ON NUMBERS
The party continued to recommend that Ireland take one refugee per 1,000 of the Irish population – equating to roughly 4,000 to 5,000 refugees a year. However, they specified that there should ultimately be no cap on the number, considering Ireland’s own emigrant history.
“It is important to note that Sinn Féin would not put an upper limit on it,” they wrote.
“We must not only do our fair share, but more than our fair share given our own emigrant history.”
At the time, a total of 1.3 million people had come to Europe requesting asylum.
GOVERNMENT POLICY
Sinn Féin’s 2015 proposal mirrors the government’s policy this year amid the refugee crisis in Ukraine, where Fianna Fáil Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has declared emphatically that there will be “no cap” on the number of Ukrainians allowed to enter Ireland.
A cap on the number of #Ukraine #Refugees Ireland will accept is “off the table” – O’Brien https://t.co/Mi4DJ8tXyZ
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) April 12, 2022
In March Gript revealed that Ireland planning to take twice as many Ukrainian refugees as France and the United States, despite those countries having populations – and economies – orders of magnitude larger than Ireland’s.
Ireland taking twice as many Ukrainian refugees as France, USA
According to Eurostat this week, Ireland is still taking far more Ukrainian refugees per capita than most countries
Ireland still taking far more Ukrainian refugees per capita than most countries
Just a few months into the crisis, Ireland has officially run out of emergency accomodation for Ukrainian arrivals, with 4,300 in need of new rooms as rental deals begin to run out.
4,300 Ukrainian refugees in need of new rooms as rental deals run out https://t.co/SxFu75IZov
— Irish Independent (@Independent_ie) August 7, 2022
Refugees are already being kept in military camps such as the one in Gormanstown, and there is suggestion that Ukrainians may even be housed in hospital accommodation for lack of alternatives.
Despite the government policy, the most recent polling shows that the majority of Irish people favour a cap on refugee numbers despite the crisis.
Majority of Irish people want cap on the number of Ukrainian refugees https://t.co/gIvuCH5BVa via @IrishTimesBiz
— Irish Times Business (@IrishTimesBiz) April 24, 2022
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