The Irish government’s steadfast dedication to accommodating and supporting a significant influx of migrants during a period of intense housing and living cost challenges has ignited strong discontent among the Irish population.
This situation bears striking resemblances to the migrant crisis experienced in the United States. Numerous protests have erupted in towns across the country, with citizens urging the government to halt what they perceive as an “open borders” globalist agenda prioritizing migrants over native residents who are grappling with financial difficulties and housing insecurity as Ireland’s homelessness rates soar.
Incidents of high-profile crimes involving migrants have instilled fear among the local population, notably the disturbing knife assaults on young children and their teacher by an Algerian-born Irish citizen in November, leading to unrest and looting in the capital city.
Individuals advocating for stricter enforcement of immigration laws and reduced migrant numbers feel marginalized and overlooked by the political establishment.
“Ireland is a tinderbox at the moment,” Irish journalist Fatima Gunning told Fox News Digital. “At this point, I don’t think anything would surprise me.” A multitude of demonstrators waving Irish flags gathered in Dublin to protest against mass migration and advocate for the establishment of a new nationalist government.
The rallying cry of “get them out” directed at the government reverberated through the streets of the capital, accompanied by signs proclaiming messages such as “Irish lives matter” and “under siege, invasion.” Striking banners bearing slogans like “mass deportations” and “end the plantation” adorned a bridge, capturing the sentiments of the protesters. These demonstrators claim to represent the silent majority of the electorate, with polls indicating that around 75% believe that immigration levels are excessive and that the nation has admitted too many refugees.
Their frustration is compounded by their perception of biased treatment from the mainstream media, particularly liberal news outlets and the semi-state-run broadcaster RTE, which they accuse of inadequate coverage of protests or biased reporting. They draw a parallel by suggesting to imagine an America without Fox News.
For instance, RTE described last Monday’s protest as a “large crowd” and provided minimal coverage on its website, consisting of only six lines. Gript, a relatively new player in the media landscape, has stepped in to fill this perceived void by extensively covering anti-mass immigration demonstrations.
Over the past two decades, immigration to Ireland has more than doubled, resulting in 22% of the population being comprised of non-citizens. This places Ireland as the fourth EU member state with the largest non-national population percentage-wise, as per EU statistics.
The Irish government is providing housing for an additional 30,000 non-Ukrainian refugees, with taxpayers contributing over €1 billion in the first nine months of 2023 to support migrant accommodation, as per official government figures. Despite this, Ireland’s per capita debt remains one of the highest globally, reaching €223 billion in 2023.
“For the past two years, they’ve been calling people like that ‘racist’ or ‘far-right extremists,’” Gunning says. “Politicians and the mainstream media, official Ireland, that of strata of society say immigration is just totally positive. There’s no negatives whatsoever and then anyone who even says something like, Oh, ‘I do agree with immigration but I think there should be controls on the numbers,’ is a racist, that’s how it is.”
The rise in migration began with the implementation of the free movement of people agreement under the EU’s Nice Treaty in 2003. Initially, this influx primarily consisted of Eastern Europeans coming to Ireland to seek employment during the Celtic Tiger economic boom.
However, in recent times, a significant influx of asylum seekers has arrived on Irish shores, receiving various taxpayer-funded welfare benefits and housing. This has occurred amidst challenges faced by Irish citizens, including high inflation, a severe housing crisis, and an overstretched healthcare system.
For example, Ireland has welcomed over 104,000 Ukrainian refugees since the outbreak of the war, the highest per capita intake in Western Europe despite Ireland’s far-western geographic location in Europe. This number represents 2% of Ireland’s 5.12 million population, with each Ukrainian refugee receiving free accommodation, healthcare, and until recently, a weekly wage of approximately $235.
Various accommodations, including modular homes, have been constructed for migrants, yet there is a prevailing sentiment that little to no action has been taken to address the needs of the homeless population, which reached a historic peak last month. Reports suggest that planning regulations have been disregarded to expedite the housing of refugees.
“There’s a really palpable feeling that these non-national people are being prioritized over Irish people, which they are,” Gunning says. “I mean, it’s not even a matter of opinion that they are. There are Irish people who cannot get medical cards (health benefits) for whatever reason. These people are all given medical cards regardless of need and that’s obviously a priority [of government].”
The frustration among the Irish population extends beyond perceived injustices. Similar to the sentiment in the U.S., many Irish individuals believe that a significant portion of asylum seekers have questionable claims and are essentially economic migrants burdening taxpayer resources.
