Politicians of the centre cannot ‘put fingers in ears’ on migration – Tánaiste
By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA
Tánaiste Simon Harris has defended his earlier comments that migration numbers in Ireland are too high.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs said a discussion on migration would help social cohesion.
He said that migration “is a good thing” for Ireland, and he said violent disorder in west Dublin in recent weeks was “thuggery and the racism” that he “deplores with every bone in my body”.
Speaking at Custume Barracks in Athlone on Friday, Mr Harris said when migration is discussed people “particularly on the left try to shut down that debate” and said it would be “irresponsible” not to discuss it.
“That does a huge disservice to the people of this country, to social cohesion and to inform the policy discussion in Ireland,” he said.
“Migration is a legitimate public policy point of consideration in our country and across the European Union.”
He said the fact that 80 per cent of asylum applications are rejected in Ireland were what led him to believe migration numbers are too high, and said that fact “should raise a red flag for government”.
He also said that general migration figures, separate from asylum applications, are also “too high”.
“More broadly, are migration numbers too high outside of international protection? I think they are as well. I think they’re separate discussions, but I think they are as well.”
He said that Ireland’s population is growing “at such a fast rate” that members of the public wonder “can services catch up”.
“So mapping out, as Minister (for Enterprise Peter) Burke’s department does, as to where the critical skills needs are, and providing more work permits, visas, in that space – great.
“Fulfilling our international obligations under international protection – great.
“But if eight of the 10 people who are seeking international protection don’t qualify, we have to say, what more can we do?”
He said that it was “common sense” to ask those who are in international protection and working to pay rent, and that proposals on this were “very nearly ready”.
“I think it’s a sensible measure that if you come to this country and you have no means and you’re tied to international protection, we should be fully supporting it absolutely.
“But if you go to our country and are working, of course, you should make some sort of contribution to the cost. That is common sense.
“So I would push back with every fibre I have and any suggestion from anybody that talking about migration is doing anything other than actually helping to hold social cohesion.
“We can continue to go around and put fingers in ears and not listen to people if we want, but we can actually do what political leaders do – engage on topics.
“I believe there’s an absolute responsibility on politicians of the centre not to walk off the pitch and leave it to the extremes on either side of the debate.”