There were tense scenes in the Dáil this afternoon, with criticism directed at Tánaiste Simon Harris from left-wing opposition leaders over his remarks about immigration numbers being too high.
Labour TD Ged Nash hit out at Mr Harris claiming the Tánaiste had “said nothing” about the attack on an IPAS centre in Drogheda which led to three children, a baby and an adult having to be rescued from the top floor of the building.
“He was on Instagram all weekend and said nothing about Drogheda. He did not condemn it,” Nash complained. Minister Jack Chambers hit back, saying that the remarks were “unfair” and that “everybody in government condemns what happened in Drogheda.”
“The man with no thought that goes untweeted said nothing. It is my hometown,” Mr Nash replied back.
Fianna Fáil’s Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, hitting back at opposition criticisms, said that “everyone in this government and in this Parliament should be able to have an overall assessment of migration policy.”
“That is what I am saying. We need an honest debate about that continuously because there are various factors which contribute to a surge in applications and we need to be able to evaluate that,” Chambers said.
He was also responding to comments made by Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats, who claimed that the government was “pointing fingers at immigrants, State agencies, and the latest fall guy, EU red tape.”
“This is straight out of the Farage playbook and it is deeply concerning the Government is taking this approach,” Ms Cairns claimed.
“I reject what the Deputy has said in trying to conflate these issues. It is unfair,” said Chambers. “The work the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, is doing is as focused on community engagement through An Garda Síochána and the various supports that we have on the ground as it is the wider issues in terms of migration policy. The attacks have been disgraceful. I reiterate my view and acknowledge the ongoing contribution that many people continue to make in communities across our country.
“We value their contribution and their continued work and presence in our country. They need to feel safe and welcomed. We will be doing everything we can to protect that.”
Holly Cairns further claimed the Social Democrats had “been pleading with the Government for weeks to moderate its language, to ensure what it is saying is accurate and that tensions are not further enflamed.”
“Instead, the inflammatory language from the Government has increased. Shamefully, the Tánaiste chose to amplify half-truths to paint migrants in a negative light. He made those comments fully conscious of the volatile atmosphere that is out there,” she said.
“It is not just irresponsible; it is reprehensible. Now we see where rising hate naturally leads – a man pouring petrol on the stairs of an IPAS centre in the hopes of burning women and children alive. If this horrific event is not enough to prompt the Government to engage in some reflection, then I do not know what is. The Government now has a deliberate strategy of depicting international protection applicants as scammers gaming a lax system—–”
Replying for the government, Deputy Jack Chambers said he rejected the claims completely.
“If the Deputy listened to what I have said, I have rejected the politics of the far-right, of Farage—–” he said.
“[…] And of anyone who gives an inflammatory response or weaponises this issue to divide people. Our focus is on community, on building harmony between people and on supporting and investing in communities while also ensuring that we have a migration system and policy which works,” he said.
“That is why we should have an ongoing evaluation of it. It is unfair to continue to conflate this, as the Deputy has. The experience of the women and children in that house and the threat that was brought on them is shocking and is universally condemned by this Government. That is why the work the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, is doing in terms of the Garda’s security reviews, which happen for IPAS centres, is really important. It is why community engagement is centrally important. I am disgusted, as everyone is, with what has happened.”
It comes as Mr Harris, while speaking to reporters today, said he “absolutely” stood over his comments.
“The Irish people want to know that their government is putting in place a system that is fair and firm. There are parts of our public services that would fall over if it were not for people coming into our country and contributing.”
He added that it was “a good thing” to have a system “that has rules that are applied, making sure that there’s a common sense and a social cohesion element to all of that.”