Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

People Before Profit wants to respond to a demand that was made yesterday by some Deputies for a reasonable and respectful debate on refugees. It is not the first time we heard that matter raised by those Deputies but we want to respond to it in the way that will give clarity on some of the misinformation that is coming forward. We also want to say that if the Deputies think they are being silenced for wanting real and respectful debate, then they need to check their facts and move sharply away from the hateful and dangerous lies that are being bandied about by elements who have different interests in blaming refugees. Rather than punching down at those who may be perceived to be below us because they come here looking for refuge, help and support, they should kick up and look at what the Government has brought us to in homelessness, a health crisis, a lack of childcare and workers moving away from education because they cannot live in their towns and cities. It is the Government that is to blame and not the refugees.

The argument around refugees in social media and published online, featuring some Deputies, is hateful. It is bizarre to me that those who profess to hold Christian values most preciously in this Chamber are the ones who are sending out a season's greeting that says there is no room at the inn. Christian values should know they come from the flight of the family from Egypt knocking on doors and being pushed away. Christian values are hugely important at this time. Away from the respectful debate and the racist stereotypes of single men of military age coming to this country, we need to be careful not to repeat far right arguments in an attempt to deflect from the real social causes and economic problems we have, which are the responsibility of the Members opposite me.

When you strip away those who have come from Ukraine, most of the refugees are coming from Georgia, Algeria, Somalia and Zimbabwe. Most of those societies have been massively impacted by the war in Russia, particularly Georgia. One million men left Russia during the conscription for the Ukraine war and most of them ended up in Georgia. Georgia is in the eye of a massive geopolitical storm and is meant to be next in line for attack by Russia. Syria remains the scene of historic and massive human suffering. Afghanistan and Africa are wrecked by the interference of imperial powers, climate change and social collapse. A cursory look at the history of Algeria, or any of the states that are deemed to be safe states that refugees are coming from, will show how false and dangerous this narrative is. If you bother to look at what is happening across Africa, Afghanistan or Algeria, you will see how gay communities, women and anybody who is different is being attacked and forced out.

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