Well over 20,000 migrants who have claimed asylum in Ireland are being housed by the authorities. This represents a growth of more than 14,000 since October 2021.
Figures released this month by the Irish integration department reveal that the vast majority (49%) of those accommodated are single males. Less than 20% are children and just 15% are single females.
The Irish Refugee Council late last year noted that this increase is in part due to the movement of asylum seekers from other EU countries, highlighting that a “generally positive perception of Ireland was also found to be a potential factor.” The government has extended a ban on visa-free travel in an attempt to clamp down on this intra-bloc shifting, citing “unprecedented pressures on our international protection system.”
Ireland also has the fifth-highest number of Ukrainians per capita, having taken in more than 75,000 refugees up to the end of March.
Trends are unlikely to change any time soon, according to Justice Minister Helen McEntee, who said in September that increasing numbers are “a permanent change.”
Many locals have not responded well to this influx, with reports from May this year drawing attention to a crowd of protesters marching to a migrant camp made up of around 60 tents in Dublin’s business district, chanting “Ireland for the Irish” and “you’re not welcome here.” Some hooded men also “attacked” another encampment and set fire to unoccupied tents, according to The Guardian.
Responding to this month’s figures on the housing of those seeking asylum, the Irish Freedom Party insisted that the country “is full.”
Polling suggests that most Irish voters believe Ireland is taking in too many refugees. But Roderic O’Gorman, minister for integration, said that while the “pressure” caused by increased movement makes some people “nervous,” most of the public is supportive.
