There has been criticism of Wexford County Councils implementation of an integration team in the County.
Over two years since the war in Ukraine broke out – there has been no such policy put in place
Councillor Leonard Kelly raised the issue at the January Council meeting:
“I insisted that we need to get an approved integration policy put in place for Wexford. Policies like this exist in other Counties but despite having asked previously I have been told it would be late this year until something is put in place. Just providing signposting services is not enough. We need to provide factual information about immigration and integration.”
According to Department of Integration figures, 512 recently arrived asylum seekers are without State provided accommodation.
A total of 659 new male international protection applicants have presented to the International Protection Office since Monday, December 4th.
The Irish Refugee Council says many IPAs are being forced to sleep rough due to the lack of accommodation.
Former Minister Ivan Yates spoke to Alan on Morning Mix, “If we are putting people in tents are we actually doing them a favour?”
He went on to say that he believes the next elections will hinge on the issue of open borders:
“There will be MEPs and Councillors elected on the issue of open borders and this is not just Ireland look at Netherlands and Italy. Macron has said that France cannot solve the problems of the World. Germany has closed some of their borders. This is a very volatile and moving issue.”
Mr Yates went on to call out those that label anyone with concerns over immigration as far right:
“Simply demonizing people as far right and racist who feel that there are really pragmatic consequences of excess unfair distribution of migrants, is unfair.”
Meanwhile, following the discovery of 14 migrant stowaways on board a ferry that docked at Rosslare Europort on Monday, Local Councillor Ger Carthy says that preparations need to be made for more people coming to our shores:
“We have an open border policy and this is going to happen more and more. We really need to sit down and discuss how this Country is going to deal with the amount of people coming to our shores and how best to accommodate that.”
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