Members of the Irish public are raising the cost of living as an election issue at a far higher rate than the issue of immigration during canvassing, an Independent MEP has claimed.
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan of the Midlands-North-West constituency made the remarks on social media earlier today.
“5 days canvassing,” he said. “Biggest issue by far: cost of living.”
He said that this issue was “coming up at least 20 times more often than immigration.”
“You wouldn’t think that listening to RTÉ News,” he added.
5 days canvassing. Biggest issue by far. Cost of Living. Coming up at least 20 times more often than immigration. You wouldn't think that listening to @rtenews
— Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (@lukeming) May 2, 2024
Responding to one social media user who pointed out that the response would be different “depending on which area you canvas”, Flanagan said: “‘Hopefully’, says your man.”
Hopefully says your man. https://t.co/pxgbCuLR56
— Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (@lukeming) May 2, 2024
According to the Irish Times’ commissioned Ipsos Behaviour and Attitudes Snapshot polling, the key issues for voters in January 2024 were immigration, followed by housing, with all other issues being left behind by a considerable margin.
Housing has overtaken immigration as the number one issue in recent months, but both remain solidly at the top of the most mentioned issues according to the most recent Snapshot poll, with the cost of living issue creeping up as a less prominent but still growing issue.
“Housing remains the issue that preoccupies the Irish public, according to the latest Ipsos B&A Snapshot poll for the Irish Times,” the company said in a press release this week.
“…Not only is Housing a lightening rod issue for Government, overwhelmingly the public feel the Government is getting it wrong. Almost nine in ten (88 per cent) verbatim comments on Housing are negative in sentiment.”
Speaking of immigration, the consulting firm said: “Immigration is somewhat less topical this wave, but still features prominently. After peaking at 24 per cent in January, mentions of Immigration have declined month on month, falling to 12 per cent in this latest poll.”
On the issue of the cost of living and inflation, the company said: “The Cost of Living/Inflation is on the rise again as a topic of conversation, mentioned by six per cent nationally, and by nine percent of working-class respondents.”
Each Snapshot poll features responses from a random national sample of 1,000 Irish adults over the age of 15.
Loading ...
Are people really so thick that they can’t see the connection? Stop the migrants/asylum seekers coming in in the first place instead of spending a fortune “processing applications”, giving them free housing, food, healthcare and pocket money, deport those here who shouldn’t be and you’d find a lot more accommodation available for our own people.
Add redeploying the €3bn a year being spent on them to fix the housing crisis and that might make a difference.
Treat the problem, not the symptom.
Well said Michael. My next tax return I am claiming the following dependents – 100,000 or so people from Ukraine, 25,000 or so IPAS recipients,34,000 NGO’s, 124,000 unemployed, 3500 Junkies, 1000 crack heads and the entire civil service including all members of the Dail. If I have left anyone out, please let me know.
😂😂😂 ya know what, that’s not a bad idea at all 😂
Ming needs to remember that when you speak anecdotally you really need to make it sound believable. I don’t think anybody will believe his attempt to spin the order of priority that is being expressed on the doorstep and , like you say Michael , people would need to be really thick to fail to see the connection between the issues in any case. This is just a rather feeble attempt at deflection by Ming and a doomed effort , Paul Murphy style , to steer the conversation where he , rather than the public , would like it to be but I am afraid that Ming has allowed himself to be caught with his trousers down again.
Not surprised at this, ming is an open borders man, this is no surprise he said this. I believe its second.
Nor does he acknowledge that the scarcity of housing and rising rents are due to rapid growth in demand. I wonder what’s causing that? They take people as simpletons.
Another one out the door so then. He does not represent us so then.
It’s disappointing. I thought he’d see what was going on.
It is but you have to realize we were all scammed and we have a chance to change it. Things might seem grim now but we have the power now and the only thing they can do is work out ways to take it which they can’t.
The only thing Ming Flanagan can see his is well- paid non-job in Brussels coming to an end as people are becoming aware of the dereliction of duty to the Irish People he and the other EU MEP gougers have displayed there .
He now has competition from true Patriots as the Political revolution accelerates in Ireland ,kick started by the recent Peoples victory of Referenda results.
He knows exactly what is going on.
“because I got high”… fellah is a national embarassment
That was just from Luke ‘open borders’ Flanagan canvassing his buddies, the asylum seekers living on mount street. He probably had one to many Jamaican woodbines and forgot they can’t vote. Wait till he starts canvassing Irish people.
P**s off Ming. I hope people are telling you that you won’t be getting their votes too.
Well it’s different here in Dublin. I was out canvassing today and 90% (really) of the people I spoke to told me that immigration is the number one issue on their minds.
http://www.stephen4europe.eu
Interesting to hear that Stephen.
Do you get the sense that those people harbour ill feeling towards all immigrants? Could you ask it as a follow up question?
Are they angry with the Government only?
Legal vs illegal immigration? The numbers/the scale of immigration? What are people unhappy about when it comes to immigration?
Hi, I’ve just seen your message now – didn’t get any notification!
To your questions – nobody at all raised any ill will. The majority of people I spoke with recognised the value, and let’s face it the necessity, that proper, legal and managed migration can bring to cities (e.g. people bringing their skillsets and knowledge, scientists and so on).
There were one or two who were point blank saying that they “…do not want to see any immigrants at all here in Ireland” – an extreme view, and I can understand the frustration, but to me that is not the right attitude.
As I was stood outside a Lidl with flyers and chatting to people, what really struck me however was the number of people who, when I asked them what they feel is the biggest issue, they were hesitant to mention the topic! They whispered it, and some took me aside away from people to say “immigration”. This is not on – people should be free to say what they like on the topic, so long as they are not calling for violence etc, in my view.
In terms of anger, people have had it with this government…and I lost count of how many times people called Sinn Fein traitors and “sell outs”. That was very interesting to me. Most people also told me they are going to vote independent. The anger seems to be at how uncontrolled the situation is and, and I quote, along the lines of “..it’s not right that people can just wander into a country, get the social, all while Irish people are neglected, and we have no idea who they are”. I for one can’t argue with that.
Another interesting tidbit was some fella telling me that N. Boylan’s campaign manager actually works for Gr.ipt and has skin in the game when it comes to MEP / family links… whether it’s true or not, I don’t know…I must give it a google.
All in all, I am loving it chatting with the electorate around Dublin…people have stuff to say and want to be heard. Which is what they are sorely lacking from this government and all parties!
Thanks for your message!
#Stephen4Europe
Cost of living crisis is a direct result of government’s excessive covid policies that saw the entire economy shutdown for extended periods. None of which should have happened as we all know covid was nothing to be worried about for the vast majority of the population.
Governments covid policies appear to have contributed to a huge rise in excess deaths of young healthy people , still no explanation for that.
Long covid = Vax injury
(let that sink in)
I agree, I have been saying long covid = long vaccine.
strange down in my area of Munster it’s all big suv’s and jeep’s new types,banks are throwing out money like their no tomorrow ,must be all hundreds of Indians that moved here lately great to make money 👍
If you had ingested as many interesting and perspective-altering substances as Mr Flanagan you too might think that people are more concerned at the cost of living than immigration.
Ouch!!
Brilliant verbal left hook Peter .😂
your average paddy
The most noteable thing Ming achieved in the last 5 years as an MEP was doing a Teams call in his underpants. A national embarrassment.
In fact, what have any MEP’s done of note ever? They seem to pop up every so often preaching about human rights or some other fluffy woke bullshit on social media feeds. That’s it.
Housing as an issue is exacerbated by immigration. They are part of the same thing. OK so housing was already an issue before but adding forcibly to the population and prioritising the arrivals for housing makes it so much worse.
Government are now also taking construction resources to build accommodation for asylum seekers which further reduces our ability to fix the housing crisis for Irish people.
Construction resources and builders are limited.
Yes . You don’t drill more holes in the bottom of the boat and then say ‘ Ah Shur it was sinking anyway’.
To add salt to the wound accommodation is being fast-tracked with the Government exempting planning laws in favour of foreigners and then sending in the heavies to batter people for objecting to it
Anecdotal if even true, weak stuff, give us a breakdown mong 🙂
I think this is more of a case of listening to what people are saying but only hearing what you want to hear.
Ming the mighty making an ass of himself……….again.
brave man or woman to go out and canvas in this day and age weather voted in or not, considering the current political climate,best of luck till ye all
Well we know he definitely hasn’t canvassed in Ballaghdereen.
That is if he has the guts to go there with his open borders shyteology.
Wait until he goes to Ballina, Ballyshannon, Claremorris, Breffy, Ballinrobe, etc etc etc.
I’m in Ming’s constituency, tho happily far from Roscommon.
If Ming comes to my door, the only issue will be Mass Immigration, because that encapsulates everything else. Hospitals, school places, traffic, housing, our very identity and culture….
Or maybe my cat will mistake that beard for a rodent.
I predict that guy Mullooly will take Ming’s seat.
Ming has been a bad MEP. I realize the constituency is huge, but he has made no attempt to keep in touch with the eastern end. AWOL for 5 years.
I will vote for neither.