Paul Hopkins: We need some home truths on refugees

In the hamlet where I lay my head, when Russia invaded Ukraine my neighbours opened their doors and hearts to refugees fleeing for their lives. Committees were set up, as were social media pages dedicated to finding a home, a refuge, to women and children who had been uprooted from their families, their men staying behind to fight.

The support was overwhelming, the kindness of strangers evident in their actions. Now, though, three years on, the welcome has shifted somewhat off the mat, if Ukrainians seeking a refuge by way of a plea on the social media dedicated page, and getting no offers, is anything to go by. It would seem that refugees and asylum-seekers, like friends who come to stay in your house, might have outstayed their welcome. Such is the capricious nature of charitable endeavour.

That is not to say that many asylum seekers have not settled into life in many places throughout the country. They have, and are contributing significantly to Irish life – diversity and friendship walking hand-in-hand.

There are, however, other considerations to be looked at squarely by the Government, local authorities and the courts.

First, though, some figures: As of September 2024 there were some 32,000 people in International Protection accommodation in Ireland. In that year, 18,560 new International Protection applications were made and 13,099 decisions were reached, with only 3,888 proving positive outcomes. Note, that the 107,000 Ukrainians here are not included in the asylum seekers figure as they are here under an EU directive.

The 18,560 figure centres on those coming from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Jordan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Other countries too, but not all are fleeing war and political oppression. Some, like from South Africa, are economic migrants. And some of those economic migrants have no success in their applications and face deportations orders. Those judged 'undesirables' (mainly men) and those who authorities here have little background knowledge of, nor indeed any sure idea of their identity, are also given their marching papers.

The whole process is slow and drawn out, with many deportation orders never followed through. Former Justice Minister Michael McDowell has said repeatedly that the process is flawed and not the worth the paper it is written on.

Since January 2017, the International Protection Office (IPO) has been responsible for receiving and examining applications. The Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) (formerly Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS)) is part of the Department of Justice and Equality and provides data about migration in Ireland to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

A little girl is allegedly sexually assaulted by a man allegedly issued a deportation order back in March and now awaiting trial. Fears are confirmed and heightened. Connection between asylum-seekers and those jailed for crime stands only at just more than 10 per cent and not 60 per cent as often flaunted, but people swayed by alt-right activists online don't see that. Lack of education and proper jobs don't help either. Rumours become agreed fact, like the welfare sum Ukrainian refugees are paid.

The Government did little to keep the local community informed when it bought Citywest recently for two purposes: as a transit hub to process asylum applications and an accommodation centre.

As I write, gardai are expecting more nights of rioting in Citywest and Saggart. And while such a scenario is goaded on by extremists and racists and organised online, many people present on the sidelines on those nights have genuine concerns and worries. The alleged attack on the 10-year-old girl, in the care of Tusla and who ran off, just lit the fuse. Why was her alleged attacker still hanging around eight months after being issued a deportation order?

In a country with a not-seriously-tackled housing crisis which sees our young and brightest going abroad, a country with a shortage of teachers, a child care agency with questionable credentials, the fears and concerns of many are understandable.

We need non-nationals among us, for their abilities as medics or to do the thankless tasks many of us decline. But there will come a time when enough will be enough and we will have to say "full up".

More importantly, though, we need to have a clear and accountable debate on the issue of asylum seekers, and a debate that runs deeper than the occasional airplane taking a baker's dozen of rejected asylum seekers back home. And the undesirable, who allegedly attacked a little girl, not on board, as he should have been.