Immigration Policy in Ireland

Borussia wrote: The GerK wrote: Wheelo wrote: The Huntacha wrote: I spend a fair bit of time in Drogheda as the missus is from there. I'd wager you've spent next to no time there. As far as I know, another poster, Wheelo, is from there, so might be able to offer more of a perspective than what you've read on some twitter thread from a poster with "Ireland4DeIrish" in it's bio. You only have to drive through Drogheda once to see the amount of dereliction around the place. The town has nothing to offer tourists, and the tourist attractions are all outside the town and are easily accessible from Dublin. It's a huge town, in need of a major facelift and an economic boost. None of which has anything to do with a hotel housing asylum seekers.  Drogheda is a town that always had huge potential if marketed right. Location is great, 20 mins from airport, close to Dublin, on the boyne, has historical things in town and a short drive away, etc .Unfortunately Dundalk has always been supported by governments in attracting businesses, while leaving drogheda rot away. That’s going on decades. You’re right, the town has been let get run down. However, there has been a shift the last few years to try get it back up and running in attracting festivals (eg comedy fesitval in a few weeks) and there has been an attempt to start pushing the tourism market. Honestly, if marketed properly it could thrive re tourism (I’ve given a lad from turkey and a couple of Americans walking tours of the historical parts of the town and they really enjoyed it). But these efforts are now too little, too late, as this d hotel fiasco has finished off any chance of getting drogheda up and running. Putting 500 asylum seekers in a hotel that is attached to a shopping centre in the town centre is going to finally kill off the town. If you know the location, you will know there is loads of space around for them to “hang around”. Wed have a problem as it is with dubs who moved to south side of town especially and just going to swords for shopping, etc rather than shopping in drogheda. That will only increase now as I can see people want to stay away from scotch hall now, which will effect more local businesses, etc So you’re right, drogheda is a town that’s been neglected for years. But this fiasco is finally going to kill off any hope of it improving. It’s going to make the town a lot worse too  Btw I haven’t seen that Twitter account you refer to but the right wing loonies sometimes dilute the genuine arguments/ concerns locals have all around the country  This is a fair post. Concerned voices in Drogheda should be heard, not dismissed as 'far right'.  The thing is though the bit I've highlighted in bold is the sh*te that the far right come out with.

It’s the truth. If 500 people are living in hotel rooms full time with nothing to do, not even able to smoke inside, etc they are going to hang around outside it. 

First example straight away. Protest planned for tomorrow. Local politicians encouraging people not to attend as been organised by some of those loonies.

Wheelo wrote: The Huntacha wrote: I spend a fair bit of time in Drogheda as the missus is from there. I'd wager you've spent next to no time there. As far as I know, another poster, Wheelo, is from there, so might be able to offer more of a perspective than what you've read on some twitter thread from a poster with "Ireland4DeIrish" in it's bio. You only have to drive through Drogheda once to see the amount of dereliction around the place. The town has nothing to offer tourists, and the tourist attractions are all outside the town and are easily accessible from Dublin. It's a huge town, in need of a major facelift and an economic boost. None of which has anything to do with a hotel housing asylum seekers.  Drogheda is a town that always had huge potential if marketed right. Location is great, 20 mins from airport, close to Dublin, on the boyne, has historical things in town and a short drive away, etc .Unfortunately Dundalk has always been supported by governments in attracting businesses, while leaving drogheda rot away. That’s going on decades. You’re right, the town has been let get run down. However, there has been a shift the last few years to try get it back up and running in attracting festivals (eg comedy fesitval in a few weeks) and there has been an attempt to start pushing the tourism market. Honestly, if marketed properly it could thrive re tourism (I’ve given a lad from turkey and a couple of Americans walking tours of the historical parts of the town and they really enjoyed it). But these efforts are now too little, too late, as this d hotel fiasco has finished off any chance of getting drogheda up and running. Putting 500 asylum seekers in a hotel that is attached to a shopping centre in the town centre is going to finally kill off the town. If you know the location, you will know there is loads of space around for them to “hang around”. Wed have a problem as it is with dubs who moved to south side of town especially and just going to swords for shopping, etc rather than shopping in drogheda. That will only increase now as I can see people want to stay away from scotch hall now, which will effect more local businesses, etc So you’re right, drogheda is a town that’s been neglected for years. But this fiasco is finally going to kill off any hope of it improving. It’s going to make the town a lot worse too  Btw I haven’t seen that Twitter account you refer to but the right wing loonies sometimes dilute the genuine arguments/ concerns locals have all around the country

The Huntacha wrote: I spend a fair bit of time in Drogheda as the missus is from there. I'd wager you've spent next to no time there. As far as I know, another poster, Wheelo, is from there, so might be able to offer more of a perspective than what you've read on some twitter thread from a poster with "Ireland4DeIrish" in it's bio. You only have to drive through Drogheda once to see the amount of dereliction around the place. The town has nothing to offer tourists, and the tourist attractions are all outside the town and are easily accessible from Dublin. It's a huge town, in need of a major facelift and an economic boost. None of which has anything to do with a hotel housing asylum seekers.

It's probably a different issue but every smaller town is weaker than it used to be, and that's a worldwide thing these days. People want to holiday internationally these days, so you've lost the people that used to holiday in Bray, Drogheda, Youghal etc. And when you go international you go to the big tourist hubs. Irish go to New York and Paris rather than regional towns, People coming to rieland go to Dublin and Galway. Hotels in places like Drogheda need to attract business conferences, weddings etc to survive. There's no tourist attraction going to make people go there for a 3 night break IMO

So, essentially just Tony's Rangers thread but for the eireland fella on immigrants. 

I spend a fair bit of time in Drogheda as the missus is from there. I'd wager you've spent next to no time there. As far as I know, another poster, Wheelo, is from there, so might be able to offer more of a perspective than what you've read on some twitter thread from a poster with "Ireland4DeIrish" in it's bio.

Edited by The Huntacha - 16 Feb 2024 at 4:06am

nvidic wrote: Cabra Hoop wrote: nvidic wrote: To keep it out of the politics thread. We've not had an issue with it to date, but I can see this welcoming new posters. Any racist posts will be deleted and the user suspended. For what it's worth, I'm broadly welcoming of anyone who wants to come. We need the labour and for the most part those people are feeling dire circumstances, as many Irish people have for generations.  Working in social housing, these people are categorically not taking housing from Irish people. Albeit we do clearly need to build a lot more.  How do you define racist ?  Stereotyping someone or a group of people based on their ethnicity or where they're from.

Fair enough, thats clear....

I think all opinion polls provide certainty that current immigration policy is now a significant topic for the electorate. Do I think it's as important as Housing and Healthcare - absolutely not. I also don't believe the vast majority of people in these opinion polls have an issue with legal migration but do believe current asylum trends in particular are unsustainable and we are a soft touch in terms of rejecting bogus applications and enforcing deportations.