Those who are opposed to Ireland’s current immigration policy are “winning”, a concerned TD has warned.
Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday this week, Labour Party TD and MEP candidate for Dublin Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said that those who are critical of Ireland’s current immigration regime are gaining ground politically, as demonstrated by Sinn Féin “running to the Right” on immigration.
ACCUSED SINN FÉIN OF “RUNNING TO THE RIGHT” ON IMMIGRATION
“I really do wonder where Sinn Féin is going, why it is running to the right, why it is pitting vulnerable people against one another,” he said.
This remark was immediately interrupted by Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould, who insisted that his party was “not going to the Right at all.” This was echoed by Sinn Féin TD John Brady, who said “Sinn Féin is not going to the Right on immigration.”
However, Ó Ríordáin continued, saying that he had noticed that Sinn Féin had “marched in behind” Government plans to cut social welfare payments for Ukrainian asylum seekers.
“THE [IMMIGRATION] PROTESTORS ARE WINNING…IT’S WORKING”
“I was wondering what was going on, and now it makes sense to me,” the Dublin Bay North TD said.
“The protestors are winning, the roadblockers are winning, the arsonists are winning, because Sinn Féin is going to the Right on immigration. It’s working.”
REFERRED BACK TO HIS IMMIGRATION POLICY IN 2014
Ó Ríordáin further went on to say that a decade ago, under the Labour-Fine Gael coalition government of 2014, he himself had found himself in a similar position to Equality Minister Roderic O’Gorman. At that time, Ó Ríordáin served as Minister of State with responsibility for New Communities, Culture and Equality at the Department of Justice and Equality.
In a now-viral resurfaced clip from that time, Ó Ríordáin took a significantly more critical stance on Ireland’s immigration policy, telling the Dáil that Ireland “[does] not have limitless resources,” and that “we simply cannot” expect to “provide for the vast number of economic migrants who seek a better life.”
“It would be wrong for us to pretend otherwise,” he added at the time.
In September 2014, referring to immigration, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said "we do not have limitless resources," and that "we simply cannot" expect to "provide for the vast number of economic migrants who seek a better life."
"It would be wrong for us to pretend otherwise," he added. pic.twitter.com/JaVXqGRIOj
— Ben Scallan 🇮🇪 (@Ben_Scallan) December 12, 2023
“I was in a position like that of [Minister Roderic O’Gorman] ten years ago,” he said this Thursday, referring back to this period, adding: “I did not have to deal with what the Minister has to deal with now.”
“We did not have the same numbers [of asylum seekers],” he continued.
“We did not have racists in the Dáil in the same number, as the Minister has to deal with, or in the Seanad. But I did have a partner in government that was unsympathetic, which is what the Minister has.”
THE CIVIL SERVICE IS “INSTITUTIONALLY RACIST”
He further went on to claim that during his tenure as Minister, his civil service was “institutionally racist,” and claimed that there is a section of the civil service that “wants to see” asylum seekers in tents, because it “suits the agenda of ‘Do not come here’.”
“I also had to deal with – I have to say this – a permanent government that is institutionally racist,” he said.
“What I used to hear when I was in the Department at the time – not the same Department as the Minister’s but the Department that was dealing with this issue – was pull factor, pull factor, pull factor. I feel there is a percentage of thought within the permanent government that wants to see images of people in tents in Mount Street because it suits the agenda of ‘Do not come here’.”
SINN FÉIN UNDER FIRE FOR PRO-IMMIGRATION STANCE
Sinn Féin has been the target of some criticism in recent months due to their pro-migration stance, with party leader Mary Lou McDonald previously insisting that Ireland “can’t limit numbers” of asylum seekers the country lets in, adding: “We all know that.”
Previously, in addition to this, Sinn Féin vocally pledged support for the “Justice For The Undocumented” campaign, urging a “regularisation scheme” for tens of thousands of migrants living illegally without permission in the Irish State and calling for them to be allowed to stay. This post has since been deleted from the Sinn Féin website, but was backed up and archived by an individual and still exists online.
“I think it is also important to draw attention to the plight of the estimated 26,000 undocumented migrants living and working in this State,” said Sinn Féin Housing Spokesman, Eoin Ó Broin TD at the time in the now-deleted statement.
“The Migrant Rights Centre Justice for the Undocumented campaign is calling for the introduction of a regularisation scheme to allow undocumented migrants the chance to come forward and regularise their situation.
“Sinn Féin supports this call. We need a process in place to regularise the status for migrants who have lived and worked here for a number of years.”
“EVERY POLITICAL PARTY IN THIS COUNTRY IS SUPPORTING MASS MIGRATION – EVERY ONE OF YOU”
The party has been receiving significant pushback on their immigration stance in certain areas, such as in the Dublin Central constituency of Mary Lou McDonald in East Wall, where one of the Sinn Féin leader’s posters was held up to boos and jeers by a crowd of protestors at one demonstration.
"Shot down, dismissed, shouted at": East Wall asylum protesters vow to "continue to hold momentum." https://t.co/eo9xphTxLM pic.twitter.com/5jldjGJGxf
— gript (@griptmedia) December 1, 2022
Similarly, in December of last year in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, a number of Sinn Féin TDs were confronted by irate locals.
“Every political party in this country is supporting mass migration – every one of you. And it is affecting our housing supply,” one local man said, adding: “…We’re sending a message to Dáil Éireann, to everyone of you parties in it: we will not accept any migrants in any premises in the surrounding area.”
A packed meeting in the Breesy centre in Ballyshannon last night heard heated exchanges and strong opposition from local people to reported plans to house 90 men claiming asylum in a guesthouse in the town.#gripthttps://t.co/boZR2Xk0wg
— gript (@griptmedia) December 15, 2023
Polling has consistently shown that Sinn Féin voters are some of the most likely voters in the country to oppose Ireland’s current immigration and asylum policy. Polling has also shown a dip in Sinn Féin’s support in recent months.