A poll published in the Business Post today shows that 45% of people would not support modular homes for Ukrainian refugees in their area, while almost half of those polled are unhappy with state handling of the Ukrainian refugee crisis.
Despite widespread negative media coverage of protests opposing migrant centres, a third of respondents also said that it was “not only the far right who are opposed to refugees”, while 11% did not know, and 55% agreed. Only a minority of Sinn Féin supporters, just 45 per cent, agreed that opposition to refugees is confined to the “far-right”.
The poll did not ask a similar question about opposition to other non-Ukrainian migrants coming to Ireland claiming asylum.
The poll, by Red C for the Business Post, shows the extent of public dissatisfaction with the government’s policies, which has resulted in record number of migrants claiming asylum also coming to the country in addition to those fleeing war in the Ukraine.
Almost a year into the Ukraine crisis, Ireland is now struggling to find accommodation for around 70,000 Ukrainians who have come here, along with 13,000 who have arrived from countries such as Georgia and South Africa, which are not war torn countries.
The Irish government has persisted in insisting that they will not put a cap on the numbers arriving, in contrast to other EU countries such as France, who are taking far fewer per capita than Ireland.
Image from Business Post/RED C
The Business Post notes that “there is much stronger support for the government installing modular homes for people on housing waiting lists without planning permission in their local area, with 63 per cent in favour and only 27 per cent opposed.”
In contrast, support for building modular homes for Ukrainian refugees was almost evenly split with 45% disagreeing and 46% agreeing, while 9% didn’t know.
“There is stronger opposition from women to providing modular housing for Ukrainian refugees in local areas, with only 38 per cent of women supporting it compared to 55 per cent of men,” the paper also noted.
The number of non-Ukrainian migrants claiming asylum here has rocketed, causing controversy not just around accommodation but revelations that thousands of those travelling to Ireland had destroyed their identity documents, but were nonetheless accepted into the asylum system here.
Previously, an Irish Times/Ipsos poll showed 84% of respondents agreed that “there is a limit to the number of asylum seekers and refugees Ireland can cope with”. Another 60% expressed concern that “too many asylum seekers and refugees might come to Ireland”.
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