Micheál Martin: False stories being spread about refugees are 'outrageous'
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Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said false stories being spread about refugees are “outrageous” and the country needs to stand up against it.
Mr Martin said he did not know if preconceptions about asylum seekers were an element as to why residents in Inch, Co Clare were protesting.
“I don't know. I have to take people at face value. And the people in Clare have articulated their concerns around the building and so on," he told reporters in Westmeath on Friday.
Mr Martin said “more generally” the Government is aware of “false stories” being spread about people who come to Ireland that have “no foundation”, and some of the stories are “outrageous in terms of what’s being asserted.”
He said: “We just have to stand up against that.”
Mr Martin said he met a person last week who was “convinced” after reading a post on Facebook that 150 refugees have been moved into a location, which was not true. Mr Martin described the post as "shocking stuff".
“And that is a factor. I think that's beginning to spread unease and we have to really refute that,” he said.
On Thursday, Minister of State Joe O’Brien visited protesters and asylum seekers in Clare and said there would be a four-week pause on moving any more refugees into the area to allow further engagement.
When asked if he was concerned there will be copycat protests such as the one in Clare given the Government now appears to have bowed to the protesters, Mr Martin said he hoped not. He said the Government would “assess” the situation in Inch again in terms of whether to increase the number of refugees to be moved to Magowna House Hotel.
The Tánaiste also said the Garda Commissioner is “confident” that officers have the ability to deal with the anti-immigrant protests.
It comes after the body representing rank-and-file gardaí have said they are not trained to deal with an escalation in anti-immigration protests.
The Fianna Fáil leader said Drew Harris has said gardaí have the capacity to deal with the issues but that the force would also “develop strategies” given it is “new territory in many respects in terms of Ireland.”
Mr Martin said Ireland has welcomed 100,000 people between refugees and Ukrainians and, as a country, we know more about migration given our history.
He said there are certain groups that will “endeavour to exploit” the situation, particularly far-right groups.
However, he said the increase in the number of people coming to Ireland “does create challenges, it creates insecurities, it creates fears and concerns".
“And there are those politically who will endeavour to exploit those fears.
“And it's absolutely unacceptable that anybody would attempt to harm anybody, as we saw in Dublin in terms of the burning of tents and so forth.
“And we need to, as a society, stick to the values that I think have stood us in good stead over the years and work this out.”