Ciara Phelan: Cracks widen over Coalition handling of refugee crisis
And Protests Dublin Brendan East Co Such In Fermoy, As Inch, Gleeson Areas In Clare, Wall, Co Picture: Other Protests Follow Cork,
It was only a matter of time before the cracks within the Coalition became visible for all to see over the frantic attempt to source accommodation for refugees.
At the beginning, there was sympathy for the Government and praise for the Coalition politicians' approach to housing Ukrainians who were leaving behind their loved ones and seeing their family members blown up by Russian bombs.
No one could have anticipated the extent of war in Ukraine and the now more than 80,000 Ukrainians who have arrived here to seek a safe place to wait out the war.
On top of this, Ireland has witnessed a significant increase in the number of international protection (IP) applicants seeking asylum here for many reasons.
However, it is fair to say the same céad míle fáilte has not been offered to people coming from countries other than Ukraine.
Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman said it himself — there are “preconceptions” about asylum seekers — while the Taoiseach said it has to be acknowledged that there are people with extreme racist views who must be stood up to.
This became an issue very early on when the Government was trying to source private accommodation for IP applicants.
Coalition figures had been very much aware that there was a reluctance out there to shelter some of these people fleeing war, political violence, climate change, and other 'push factors'.
It became even more evident when we saw the protests in, among other places, Fermoy in Co Cork, East Wall in Dublin, and now Inch in Co Clare.
It is not possible to count how many times the issue of communication has been raised in the Dáil.
And we learned yesterday that a unit announced in January to engage with communities, in the Department of Taoiseach and led by Green Party junior minister Joe O’Brien, has yet to be formed. One would have to question if the Government’s approach is purposely done. Don’t engage and move the refugees in to avoid pushback.
After all, there were times when asylum seekers were being moved into premises overnight.
There are people with “genuine concerns” and then there are far-right activists who just want to spread racist hatred. And the Government’s lack of communication is only allowing the fuelling of misinformation.
The protests took a major shift last weekend when tents were burned in Dublin city centre and vulnerable people were left to fend on the streets for themselves without even their meagre belongings.
The change in the level of hostility towards refugees has also marked a turning point for the Coalition in how it is handling the crisis.
Attention has turned to what exactly is the Government’s plan. It has been asked to produce a plan now for over a year but it seems to be non-existent. The response is reactionary. But even this has failed, given there are more than 500 refugees who have arrived here and have not been offered State accommodation.
The only so-called plan that anyone is aware of is to pay hoteliers across the country up to millions of euros to provide beds for refugees.
Tensions came to a head at Cabinet on Tuesday when Mr O’Gorman went pleading to his colleagues for help to find more accommodation.
It was put to him that a number of properties have been offered to him from different departments, which would require some work but could be used in the medium to long term. There was “pushback” from Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien who is also struggling to push down record-level homeless figures. It is understood Tánaiste Micheál Martin was also vocal and backed Mr O’Brien.
Mr O’Gorman said the skills aren’t there within his department to refurbish premises and that it is for the Department of Housing.
Questions are now being asked about who exactly is in charge of sorting out this mess and it seems, given the rift particularly between Fianna Fáil and the Greens, there has been a shift in responsibility.
It was once a “whole of Government approach”, but, privately, sources say Mr O’Gorman doesn’t feel this is the case. The Taoiseach said the minister has been given the help he has asked for, which Green Party sources have said left Mr O'Gorman "sore".
Asked if he was adequately supported by his colleagues, Mr O’Gorman gave the expected response that he was, but added that he told his Coalition partners that “all of us need to do more”.
In other words, they weren't doing enough.