World of Politics with Harry McGee

Once Russia invaded Ukraine almost a year ago, the Government prepared for a large number of refugees to arrive in Ireland. Almost 70,000 came by the end of 2022.

What the Government was not expecting was an accompanying – and dramatic – surge in the number of people from other countries seeking international protection. In 2021 there were 2,649 applications for international protection in Ireland. In 2022, there were 13,319 – a five-fold increase and a historically high number.

As a portion of the Ukrainian refugees are staying with relatives and friends, the overall number staying in direct provision or emergency accommodation of one kind or another is now more than 70,000.

As we have seen, that has put huge pressure on the Department of Integration to find accommodation for refugees.

In recent months, too, it has also caused some tensions with local communities. At some sites, it has already turned nasty. Fringe groups with an anti-immigrant, right-wing agenda have turned up at protests in an effort to foment xenophobia and exploit the situation for their own political agendas. Some have succeeded in spreading misinformation, such as that they are “all single men”.

In the mainstream of politics (in other words the Oireachtas) the substantial increase in numbers – especially those seeking International protection – has reignited the immigration debate of the early 2000s. Virtually all the TDs who have become involved have  been careful to make a distinction in their arguments between Ukrainian refugees and those seeking International protection.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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