Comments that high asylum seeker numbers pose a threat to “social cohesion” made by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan have been described as “victim blaming” by the Irish Refugee Council.
Speaking on The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast this week, Mr O’Callaghan said fears about “a breakdown in social cohesion” are prompting the Government to reduce the number of people coming to Ireland to seek asylum.
His remarks were met by criticism from the Irish Refugee Council’s chief executive, Nick Henderson, who said that such breakdown “is caused by a small but violent minority ready to commit murder and arson, an ongoing failure of leadership” and “growing racism left unchecked”.
Mr Henderson said the “pervasive” housing crisis, “absence of a communications plan and integration plan on this issue” and an “ongoing manufactured homelessness crisis in which men must sleep rough to demonstrate need for accommodation when capacity exists” are other contributing factors.
RM Block
“The comments also belie the global reality of migration. Asylum applications are declining in Ireland and Europe and the vast majority of the world’s refugees are in poorer, local, countries,” he added.
Jim O'Callaghan: We made a bad decision on the presidency
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan talks to Hugh and Pat about antisemitism after the Bondi beach attack, the progress of the Occupied Territories Bill, Ireland's security needs, why and how the Government wants to reduce inward migration, regret over his decision to support Jim Gavin's nomination for the presidency and his own ambition to one day lead Fianna Fáil.
Earlier this month, the advocacy group wrote to the Government expressing “deep concern” about the situation facing homeless asylum seekers.
In correspondence marked “urgent”, seen by The Irish Times, Mr Henderson said the Government policy related to male asylum seekers is “dangerous”.
The latest figures from the Department of Justice show 613 male asylum seekers have not yet received State-provided accommodation.
In the interview with Inside Politics, Mr O’Callaghan said that he wanted to be “careful” when talking about immigration.
“I have to be careful that the numbers, which were exceptionally high last year − 18,500 people arrived last year − that those numbers are reduced as otherwise, we will have a breakdown in social cohesion. We will have tents on the streets. I know there are some, but we’ll have too many tents in the streets, and it’ll look like a system that the Government is not in control of,” he said.
Mr O’Callaghan declined to give a number of asylum seekers that he believed would be sustainable.
The Minister said that the rate of increase of Ireland’s population, at 1.6 per cent a year, is too high and that “efforts should be made to try to curtail it”.
“In order to curtail it, the only way we can is through trying to introduce some policies in respect of inward migration.”
Responding to the comments, Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy said Mr O’Callaghan “has failed to sort the mess in the international protection system”.
The Cavan-Monaghan TD pointed to the time taken to process applications and appeals, and what he described as “the failure to enforce deportations”.
“Sinn Féin has been clear. Migration policy must take into account the ability and capacity of society to house and integrate those who make their homes here,” he said.
“While the international protection system descended into chaos on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s watch, economic migration has been driven by market forces without consideration of other important social goals including the housing crisis and societal cohesion.”
Mr O’Callaghan also signalled likely future reductions in the number of foreign students permitted to come to Ireland to learn English.
Mr Carthy said his party “put the need to cap student visas on the agenda”.
Last week, Mr Carthy said he had been urging Mr O’Callaghan to examine the number of student visas, which are issued annually, “for some time”.
Elsewhere, migrant and refugee rights group Doras said welcoming asylum seekers “not only fosters more cohesive communities but also allows Ireland to benefit from their skills, labour, and contributions to society”.
Responding to the Minister’s comments, the organisation’s chief executive, John Lannon, said: “Ireland relies on inward migration to deliver essential services, not only on housing, but also in healthcare, social care and hospitality.
“If the Minister’s concern is social cohesion, then supporting effective migrant and refugee integration into communities and the workforce must be at the centre of his policies, instead of measures that violate Ireland’s international human rights obligations and divide communities.”
