'Immigration is spiraling out of control,' says Tipperary leader of Dáil's Rural Independent Group

The Rural Independent Group of TDs are calling for an immediate Dáil debate and comprehensive reform of the Government's immigration policies, in response to a 32% surge in asylum seekers (non-Ukrainian) this year.

The group says the increasing numbers, frequently arriving without adequate identification or thorough vetting, are placing substantial pressure on local communities and public services.

Deputy Mattie McGrath, leader of the Rural Independent Group, stated:

"In Ireland, we've witnessed a staggering 32 percent surge in asylum seekers since the beginning of the year, totalling an unprecedented 25,019 individuals within our International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS). Immigration is spiraling out of control.

"The figures from the IPAS show a substantial increase from 19,000 in January to 25,019 in October. Notably, nearly half of all currently accommodated asylum seekers are single males, constituting a remarkable 60 percent of all those seeking asylum in October alone.  In overall terms, at the end of October, there were 11,759 single males in the IPAS system, equivalent to the total population of Tullamore.

"In October, 1,382 asylum seekers arrived, with 690 or 50% being single males, mainly from Nigeria, Georgia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia. Remarkably, Georgia, a country recently designated as a 'safe country of origin' by Germany, has the highest number of people within the Irish IPAS system, with 3,694 individuals".

Deputy Mattie McGrath went on to say, "Communities nationwide are voicing escalating social concerns about the strain on resources and facilities as asylum seekers are oftentimes stuffed into overcrowded accommodation without any consultation with local residents, despite the potential impact. Even otherwise operational nursing homes are notably being repurposed to house single male asylum seekers".

While welcoming immigrants to Ireland, Deputy Mattie McGrath highlights what he says is the necessity for a proper screening process to ensure arrivals use legal and safe routes. He says that Ireland's "open door" immigration policy could easily be, and likely is being, exploited by criminal gangs and individuals, stressing the urgency to address this issue.

"As of October, 430 asylum seekers are enduring harsh winter conditions, forced to sleep in temporary tented accommodation. The data also reveals a disturbing average of 45 people arriving daily, marking a 250 percent increase from April's average of 18 daily arrivals.

"The current situation cannot continue. That's why we are calling for an urgent Dáil debate, as the absence of realistic caps and comprehensive vetting in the Government's immigration policy is not fair to local communities enduring high levels of asylum seekers, often unvetted single males, without any prior consultation.

"Other EU countries, including Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Hungary and Finland, among others, have or are tightening their immigration laws. However, it is clear that here in Ireland, our immigration laws, regulations, and social assistance are far more attractive than the laws and regulations of the other EU countries around us, making us more attractive for people to come here.

“The government’s immigration policy is neither functional, robust nor effective, and it is profoundly concerning that the system facilitates exploitation,” he added.