Labour calls for Taoiseach to 'take charge' of immigration issues

Labour Party leader, Ivana Bacik (centre), with party colleagues, Ged Nash (left) and Aodhan O Riordan (right) outside Leinster House. The party spoke out as asylum seekers are “currently shamefully being forced to sleep on streets”. Picture: Conor Ó Mearáin / Collins Photo

Labour Party leader Ivanna Bacik has called on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to “take charge” of issues surrounding the sourcing of accommodation for asylum seekers following a “vicious” protest on Saturday.

The call comes following the protest at Sandwith Street in Dublin on Saturday during which asylum-seekers’ belongings were set on fire.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik condemned the “vicious anti-refugee” protests which happened in her own constituency on Saturday, but added the “failure of Government” in addressing refugee accommodation is at the heart of the issue.

Noting that asylum seekers are “currently shamefully being forced to sleep on streets”, Ms Bacik called for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to “take charge” of the issue, and to ensure that all departments co-operate and “step up so the Department of Integration is not shouldering the crisis alone”.

Acknowledging that the incident was “despicable and shameful,” People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said groups are stirring up divisions in working-class communities and placed a “huge amount” of responsibility on the Government.

He said:

Far-right fascist agitators were ratcheting up the aggression and tension in a very deliberate way to turn a tense situation into a very nasty and dangerous situation.

He added: “A huge amount of the responsibility for what happened at Sandwith Street lies with the Government as well.” 

He said the Government have “shamefully failed” asylum seekers leaving hundreds living in tents in a very vulnerable position and has also “let down working-class communities” such as Pearse Street.

“What the far-right were exploiting was a feeling of anger over the neglect and deprivation and social exclusion that people in areas like Pearse Street are suffering,” he said.

He noted that locals had pointed out that beside the camp is St Andrews Court, which has capacity for over 30 homes, and was supposed to be redeveloped, yet is “still sitting there empty” since 2019.

“What locals are saying is it is an accident waiting to happen when you neglect areas like that, it leaves the door open for the far-right to come in and exploit those divisions,” he said.

Garda resources

Meanwhile, Labour Party justice spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said he was “concerned” at conflicting statements on garda resources.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he does not believe there are enough gardaí on the streets in Dublin to protect refugees from violent attacks, however, it is understood Garda Commissioner Drew Harris assured Justice Minister Simon Harris that resources are not an issue.

Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan also contradicted Mr Varadkar’s comments saying there is no resource issue.

“You can’t have conflicting statements from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice on the very weekend that people have been burnt out of their homes,” he said, before adding that the contradiction “doesn’t fill anybody with any sort of confidence that they know what they’re doing”.