Mayor faces calls to quit over deport comments

CALLS went out last night for the immediate resignation of the Fine Gael mayor of Limerick, Cllr Kevin Kiely, as outrage flared following comments by him that foreign nationals who cannot support themselves should be deported.

In an earlier interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Kiely said people on the dole would be better off out sweeping the streets rather than sitting at home doing nothing.

Mr Kiely added to public fury yesterday when he said: “I’m calling for anybody who is living in the state and who can’t afford to pay for themselves to be deported after three months. We are borrowing €400 million a week to maintain our residents and we can’t afford it... we can’t afford the current situation unless the EU is willing to step in and pay for non-nationals.

“In some European countries, such as Poland, the rate of social welfare is €80 or €90 a fortnight, but in Ireland they get €220 per week and it is going to have to stop.”

A spokeswoman for the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) said Mr Kiely’s ill-informed comments are more likely to fuel anti-immigrant sentiments by creating a resentment against people who have a right to live here, than to contribute to the debate.

The ICI spokeswoman added: “By suggesting they should be deported the Mayor of Limerick seems to lay the blame for Ireland’s current budgetary crisis on EU nationals, thereby ignoring their valuable contribution to Ireland’s previous success. Current economic indicators forecast that their input will be an essential part of the solution and our future economic recovery.”

Labour MEP Alan Kelly called on Mr Kiely to resign immediately, and if he refused to do so, he said Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny should take action.

“The country is in economic turmoil and as policymakers we have a responsibility to come up with solutions. Racist comments like this have no place in the discourse and I believe Cllr Kiely should resign as mayor of Limerick,” said Mr Kelly.

Reacting to the storm of protest, Mr Kiely last night denied his comments amounted to racism.

“I’m not racist, but we can’t continue to borrow €400m a week and the Government has to put a halt and say enough is enough unless the EU intervenes and pays some sort of a subvention,” he said.