It appears to be government policy to scapegoat international protection applicants for their own failures and capitulate to anti-immigrant protestors rather than stand up for truth and justice
The Taoiseach must clarify comments he made to the Sunday Times in which he incorrectly claimed that homeless numbers are impacted by people coming to this country seeking international protection, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
“In an interview with the Sunday Times, the Taoiseach said “homelessness numbers are heavily impacted by the fact we are seeing many people seek protection in our country”. This is categorically untrue – which the Taoiseach must know.
“The Taoiseach is entitled to his opinions, but he is not entitled to his own facts. The fact is that those seeking international protection are not counted in the monthly homeless numbers. It is only those living in emergency accommodation who are counted in those figures.
“We cannot have a situation in which the leader of the country is engaging in misinformation and stoking further division in an effort to deflect blame from his own government’s handling of the housing disaster.
“The reason we have record numbers of people experiencing homelessness has nothing to do with vulnerable people seeking international protection. It is because of this government’s abject failure to address the housing crisis.
“We now have a situation in which it appears to be government’s policy to scapegoat international protection applicants for their own failures and capitulate to anti-immigrant protestors rather than stand up for truth and justice.
“The government has abandoned plans to introduce hate speech legislation, despite a hugely concerning increase in levels of overt racist rhetoric in our society, and now the Taoiseach is inferring international protection applicants are the cause of record homeless numbers.
“As politicians, we have a duty to behave responsibly, protect vulnerable people and not kowtow to bullies. The government is failing in that duty and the ramifications for vulnerable people, many of whom are already living in fear, could be very serious.
“The Taoiseach should now clarify his comments and correct the record.”
22 September, 2024
