Ó Ríordáin calls out Tánaiste’s reckless remarks on immigration
Ó Ríordáin calls out Tánaiste’s reckless remarks on immigration - The Labour Party
- Public awareness campaign urgently needed to tackle misinformation
Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin MEP has said that Tánaiste Simon Harris’ recent comments on immigration, stating that “numbers are too high”, are deeply irresponsible and risk legitimising anti-immigrant sentiment. Ó Ríordáin said the Government cannot continue to say “immigration is a good thing” while simultaneously engaging in dangerous dog-whistling that stokes division and fear.
Ó Ríordáin said:
“These remarks from the Tánaiste are disgraceful and extremely dangerous. Political leaders have a responsibility to choose their words carefully. When the Tánaiste says ‘numbers are too high’, it sends a message that the Government itself is buying into divisive rhetoric. It is reckless, harmful, and beneath the office he holds.
“It has only been a week since a racist riot attacked Gardaí on the streets of Dublin. In that context, this kind of populist outburst from the Tánaiste is not just irresponsible – it is pandering to the lowest common denominator.
“For months, I have been calling on the Government to introduce a public awareness campaign on immigration – to tell the real story about why people come to Ireland, the contribution they make to our economy and society, and the international obligations we have as a country built on migration ourselves. That campaign must also tackle the misinformation that has been allowed to spread for months, unchecked, across communities and online. There has been no sign of it.
“The reality is that migration is essential for our public services, our economy, and our communities. Migrant workers keep our hospitals running, our food produced, and our homes built. It is not good enough to issue statements saying that ‘immigration is good’ while adopting language that undermines that message. People hear the dog-whistle – and it has real-world consequences for those who have made Ireland their home.”