Immigrants are not the enemy.
Divide and conquer is an age old
tactic. It is often utilised by conservative elements to advance their
regressive agendas. This is true of the Irish as it is of any other nation. In
fact historically some Irish people have acted against the interests of Ireland
and supported imperialistic and other colonial or domestic adventurers.
Nonetheless the vast majority of Irish people are fair minded, decent and
progressive.
At this time conservative and right wing elements
are exploiting the issue of asylum seekers and immigrants or race to advance
their own agenda. They deliberately heighten the mistaken belief by some that
‘outsiders’ are responsible for too few jobs, low wages, or a lack of housing,
All of the ills of society are blamed on these ‘others’ who are of a different
ethnicity or race or religion, colour or language or customs. Northern society
suffers to this day from divisions supposedly based on religious belief.
Nowadays however many have come to understand that this is false. It is
sectarianism pure and simple, created and sustained to divide. So too with racism.
Not everyone concerned about immigrants is a racist. But their fears are
being whipped up by those who are.
The reality of course is that it is governments
that have responsibility for managing their societies and economies. If there
are not enough homes it is because the government is not planning for or
building them. It is not the fault of immigrants. But if there is a housing
shortage and there is and immigrants are being accommodated - even in tents, it
is easier to pick on them.
Today the
right wing is at it again. Lies are being told and they are being aided in this
by the incompetence of a bad government in Dublin. A lack of
planning or consultation with local communities and a failure to invest
adequate resources in communities affected has provided the right wing with the
opportunity to raise tensions and fears. The government’s immigration policy
can best be described as shambolic. It is not fit for purpose.
In recent
weeks the Minister for Justice claimed that 80% of those applying for asylum in
the South are coming from Britain via the North. She has no evidence, no
statistics, no data to support this claim but the result is that the right wing
and some of its allies in the political system and media demand that the border
be re-imposed and checkpoints established.
Add this
to the lack of planning; the chaotic and very public mess by government of
finding hotels or other accommodation. The recent removal of tents in Dublin -
and let’s not forget that is how the Traveller community has been treated for
decades - is a disgrace.
What is
needed is an immigration policy that is rooted in the human values of
compassion, fairness and friendship.
As Mary
Lou McDonald told the Oireachtas last week: “That means an immigration
system that is fair, efficient and enforced, and a system with common sense
that safeguards social cohesion and protects human rights. Both can be done
effectively in parallel.”
The
reality is that public services North and South would collapse if it were not
for the many immigrants who have travelled to the island of Ireland in recent
years. Our hospitals, nursing homes, schools, transport system, retail sector
and much more would crumple without the new Irish. And they all pay their taxes
and contribute to the well being of our society. Just like we Irish do in other
parts of the world.
According
to Migrant Rights Ireland:
· The South is in the top ten of states whose
nationals emigrate to work.
· It has the second highest proportion of its
population living in other countries of the EU.
· International studies show that it will need
migrant workers to support an increasingly dependent population.
· The majority of migrant workers are of working
age and contribute more to the economy in taxes and PRSI than they receive in
public services or social welfare.
· It has been estimated that migrants contribute
€3.7 billion to the economy annually through taxes and PRSI, work permit fees,
immigration registration fees, higher education fees and personal consumption.
· Migrant workers and their families contribute
to society and their local communities.
In
addition a report from the National Economic and Social Council (NESC)
several years ago found that migrants help increase economic growth, ease
labour market shortages, improve output and contribute to reducing earnings
inequality. And Róisín Fitzpatrick, of Deloitte Ireland said in 2022 of the
impact of the pandemic: “The foreign nationals who have taken up the
healthcare assistant roles in nursing homes and care facilities since July 2021
have allowed us to support and care for those most vulnerable in Irish
society.”
So, we
need a fair and responsible, human rights compliant immigration system.
Immigrants are not the enemy but those who promote hatred and division
certainly are.
There was
a time when it was the Irish, fleeing hunger, poverty and the repression and
exploitation of British colonialism, who were marginalised, denigrated and
depicted as thuggish and ape-like. The diaspora that escaped to Britain, the
USA and elsewhere across the globe, especially after the great hunger, were
treated dreadfully in their new countries. We should never allow ourselves to
do on to others what was done on to us.
Recognise
the State of Palestine
Sinn
Féin’s National Party Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA was in South Africa at the
weekend where he spoke at the ‘Global Anti-Apartheid Conference on
Palestine.’ The conference was attended by Palestinian groups. While
there Declan met with South Africa’s foreign minister and ANC MP Naledi Pandor
who has led the international condemnation of the Israeli state’s genocidal war
against the Palestinian people. Declan also told Minister Pandor that Sinn Féin
fully supports South Africa’s courageous case against Israel at the
International Court of Justice.
Sinn
Féin has had a close relationship with the African National Congress going back
many decades and we each have a long history of international solidarity,
particularly in support of the right of the Palestinian people to national self
determination.
Also at
the weekend the assault by the Netanyahu government on Rafah has forced
hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to again tread the refugee path in their
own place. Over 35,000 Gazans, including 15,000 children, have now been killed
with many more bodies still under the rubble. Western governments, led by the
US and Britain, have refused to demand an immediate and permanent cessation,
the release of all hostages (over 6,000 are held by Israel) and unrestricted
humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
In the
midst of this carnage the United Nations General Assembly last week took the
important step of voting in favour of granting "new rights and
privileges" to the state of Palestine, creating a path toward full
UN-member status. Almost 150 countries voted in favour of upgrading Palestine's
status, with nine voting against and 25 abstentions. The resolution also calls
on the Security Council to reconsider the request for Palestine to become the
194th member of the United Nations. When this last came before the
Security Council in April it was vetoed by the United States.
Finally,
in what could be a historic decision the EU's
High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell appeared to confirm
Irish media reports that Ireland, Spain and other like-minded EU member states
could formally recognise the State of Palestine on 21 May. It should no longer
be conditional. It is long overdue especially for Ireland. The Irish government
must take this vitally important step and do what the Oireachtas voted for ten
years ago.
The Bluebells are Back
Comhgairdheas
to all of those involved in the planning of Féile na gCloigíni Gorma – the
Bluebell Festival 2024. This is the eighth year of this wonderful event in
Belfast’s Upper Springfield/Ballymurphy area. Féile includes mountain walks and
talks and poetry and music.
The
Festival will honour the dedication of visionary community activist Seán Mac
Goill whose name adorns the local Glór na Móna centre. Several weeks ago
following his death I wrote about Seán. He was one of a band of
activists who was centrally involved in the growth and development of the Irish
language in Belfast. The festival itself is a celebration of life and nature
and of the contribution of the Black Mountain in the lives of the people of the
Upper Springfield.
It
is on until this Saturday and a programme of the events can be found
here: https://www.glornamona.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FNAG_2024_Digital-2.pdf
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