"We finally have the reorientation of national political priorities onto the single issue of housing that the country has been screaming for, for a decade - but it’s about Ukraine. How can that be?"
When the invasion happened this year, I was selling newspapers door to door. I can tell you, every older person living alone (in a large house, empty nesters) all repeated the exact same word for word opinion that was from RTE, etc. Of course I was very pleasant, polite, with them and agreed. Ukraine flags were up in middle class estates within a day.
The Irish have an outpouring of kindness and christian good-will, as you say, and, as you say, this is being blatantly manipulated to get on the good side of the Brussels ingroup. Their hearts are overflowing for Ukraine and not the homeless Irish junkies on Dublin streets because those issues they feel truly impotent to help with.
Thus the consequences of this will be twofold. the immediate effects of ukrainian refugees+ housing crisis, and the creeping realisation from these good hearted christians that they were lied to, again and have been made impotent. The anger will be mis-directed somewhere no doubt.
The article suggests that "the powers that be", namely the political leadership, has to answer for the throwing open of Ireland´s door to a flood of Ukrainian immigrants, despite the existence of a huge housing problem for the existing citizenry.
However, one should consider that the central tenet of democracy is that political power is devolved to the general populace, as opposed to a dictatorship where power resides with a small ruling elite. Obviously the concepts of democracy and dictatorship exist along a continuum but Ireland´s recent history positions the country well toward the democratic end where political policy is influenced primarily by the actual and perceived desires of the voting public. This is exemplified in the surge in support for Sinn Fein on the back of its position on the housing crisis, however populist that position might be.
Another factor that needs to be considered is the reach and immediacy of social media which has not only amplified the voice of the general citizenry but also the voice of alternate and minority opinions. Ironically, despite its democratizing effects, social media has also become synonymous with the limiting of free speech through tactics such as cancellation. Suddenly, a single video of a father holding a dead child on a beach in some distant country can foment a huge wave of sympathetic public opinion that frequently precludes the voicing of alternate opinions or any valid questioning of events. Democratically-elected politicians that want to stay in power, respond to the majority opinion, regardless how illogical or populist.
Irish popular opinion has evidently become very pro-Ukraine/refugees and very anti-Russia/Putin and the public has signalled that the housing agenda is off the front burner and the big issue now is concern for the refugees. Against this background, politicians are seeking to respond in such fashion as will satisfy the voting public and, while the number and manner of control of the refugee influx is indeed surprising, no mainstream Irish politician in his/her/their right mind is going to champion the issue of housing shortages for Irish people at this time and suggest, even temporarily, that this shortage be a basis for limiting the entry of Ukrainian refugees. The people have spoken!
Hi Don, thanks for the comment- just re this part- “the public has signalled that the housing agenda is off the front burner and the big issue now is concern for the refugees”- while there is loads of concern about Ukraine & the fate of Ukrainians they definitely haven’t signalled that, quite the opposite, that’s why I think there may be trouble ahead on this
While I’m following issues from afar, what I am seeing is how Irish people are demonstrating outside the Russian embassy and receiving immigrants in their homes. I saw one article questioning the policy of granting equal access to Educational facilities for Ukrainian immigrants but that has been the only one that has been at all oppositional. I have seen others questioning why Ukrainians are being given priority over immigrants from other countries. However, if the populace was still focused primarily on their own housing issue, I would expect to see pushback in the form of public demonstrations and articles in the paper calling for limits on immigration. Maybe I’m missing them but I haven’t seen any, apart from your’s of course.
What about the theory that Europe is deliberately destabilising nation states with mass immigration? A report in Le Figaro yesterday claimed that the journeys of a third of all those arriving via the Ukraine started in Africa or the Middle East. They are economic migrants, not refugees. What indeed is the motivation? I suspect it’s not coming from our politicians but from further afield. As it was with Covid, so it is with Ukraine - Government is just following orders.
Hey Helen thanks for the comment- I personally don’t believe intentional destabilisation is the the plan but there’s no question that lots of people who come here will not be Ukrainian, not European and not refugees. The speed and extent of the changes we’re making and the lack of vetting is begging to be exploited by people traffickers etc per the piece as well as by regular old economic migrants. People in charge know that- they must- and they don’t care
When the invasion happened this year, I was selling newspapers door to door. I can tell you, every older person living alone (in a large house, empty nesters) all repeated the exact same word for word opinion that was from RTE, etc. Of course I was very pleasant, polite, with them and agreed. Ukraine flags were up in middle class estates within a day.
The Irish have an outpouring of kindness and christian good-will, as you say, and, as you say, this is being blatantly manipulated to get on the good side of the Brussels ingroup. Their hearts are overflowing for Ukraine and not the homeless Irish junkies on Dublin streets because those issues they feel truly impotent to help with.
Thus the consequences of this will be twofold. the immediate effects of ukrainian refugees+ housing crisis, and the creeping realisation from these good hearted christians that they were lied to, again and have been made impotent. The anger will be mis-directed somewhere no doubt.
The article suggests that "the powers that be", namely the political leadership, has to answer for the throwing open of Ireland´s door to a flood of Ukrainian immigrants, despite the existence of a huge housing problem for the existing citizenry.
However, one should consider that the central tenet of democracy is that political power is devolved to the general populace, as opposed to a dictatorship where power resides with a small ruling elite. Obviously the concepts of democracy and dictatorship exist along a continuum but Ireland´s recent history positions the country well toward the democratic end where political policy is influenced primarily by the actual and perceived desires of the voting public. This is exemplified in the surge in support for Sinn Fein on the back of its position on the housing crisis, however populist that position might be.
Another factor that needs to be considered is the reach and immediacy of social media which has not only amplified the voice of the general citizenry but also the voice of alternate and minority opinions. Ironically, despite its democratizing effects, social media has also become synonymous with the limiting of free speech through tactics such as cancellation. Suddenly, a single video of a father holding a dead child on a beach in some distant country can foment a huge wave of sympathetic public opinion that frequently precludes the voicing of alternate opinions or any valid questioning of events. Democratically-elected politicians that want to stay in power, respond to the majority opinion, regardless how illogical or populist.
Irish popular opinion has evidently become very pro-Ukraine/refugees and very anti-Russia/Putin and the public has signalled that the housing agenda is off the front burner and the big issue now is concern for the refugees. Against this background, politicians are seeking to respond in such fashion as will satisfy the voting public and, while the number and manner of control of the refugee influx is indeed surprising, no mainstream Irish politician in his/her/their right mind is going to champion the issue of housing shortages for Irish people at this time and suggest, even temporarily, that this shortage be a basis for limiting the entry of Ukrainian refugees. The people have spoken!
Hi Don, thanks for the comment- just re this part- “the public has signalled that the housing agenda is off the front burner and the big issue now is concern for the refugees”- while there is loads of concern about Ukraine & the fate of Ukrainians they definitely haven’t signalled that, quite the opposite, that’s why I think there may be trouble ahead on this
While I’m following issues from afar, what I am seeing is how Irish people are demonstrating outside the Russian embassy and receiving immigrants in their homes. I saw one article questioning the policy of granting equal access to Educational facilities for Ukrainian immigrants but that has been the only one that has been at all oppositional. I have seen others questioning why Ukrainians are being given priority over immigrants from other countries. However, if the populace was still focused primarily on their own housing issue, I would expect to see pushback in the form of public demonstrations and articles in the paper calling for limits on immigration. Maybe I’m missing them but I haven’t seen any, apart from your’s of course.
Keep it up a chara
What about the theory that Europe is deliberately destabilising nation states with mass immigration? A report in Le Figaro yesterday claimed that the journeys of a third of all those arriving via the Ukraine started in Africa or the Middle East. They are economic migrants, not refugees. What indeed is the motivation? I suspect it’s not coming from our politicians but from further afield. As it was with Covid, so it is with Ukraine - Government is just following orders.
Hey Helen thanks for the comment- I personally don’t believe intentional destabilisation is the the plan but there’s no question that lots of people who come here will not be Ukrainian, not European and not refugees. The speed and extent of the changes we’re making and the lack of vetting is begging to be exploited by people traffickers etc per the piece as well as by regular old economic migrants. People in charge know that- they must- and they don’t care