Paul Murphy urges unity: 'Housing crisis, not a refugee crisis'
Paul Murphy said refugees are welcome and argued the country faces a housing crisis, not a refugee crisis, insisting migrants are not to blame and enrich society. He asked when the Action Plan Against Racism would be published and was told the minister expects to publish the plan early next year.
Rally and core message
United Against Racism were holding a rally at the Spire to say clearly that there is a housing crisis, not a refugee crisis, and to declare that refugees are welcome. Murphy framed the rally as an expression of unity and solidarity against division and far-right hate.
Reasons for displacement and who is responsible
Murphy listed reasons people are arriving - fleeing wars, climate change and brutal oppression - and said they are not responsible for the housing crisis. He warned that blaming asylum seekers plays into the hands of those profiting from the crisis, notably corporate landlords and big developers.
Action Plan Against Racism timeline
Murphy noted the Independent Anti-Racism Committee submitted an Action Plan Against Racism on 27 June that has not yet been brought to government. He said the minister informed him the National Action Plan Against Racism is expected to be published early next year, hopefully in January or February.
Role of migrants and rejection of far-right claims
Murphy argued migrants staff public services and enable many companies to recruit and operate, and that migrants enrich society. He challenged the old trope from the far right that migrants are to blame for unemployment, crime or housing shortages, calling that assertion "totally wrong."
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United Against Racism are holding a rally today at Half-Five at the Spire in order to say clearly that we have a housing crisis, not a refugee crisis, and that refugees are welcome here. It's an expression of unity and solidarity in response to the division and the hate being spread by the far right. People who are arriving here are fleeing wars, fleeing climate change, fleeing brutal oppression. They are not responsible for the housing crisis, which existed well before they arrived. Blaming asylum seekers actually plays into the hands of those who are profiting from that crisis, the corporate landlords and the big developers. Instead of being divided, we need to unite, to welcome those who are coming here and to fight together for the homes and the services that we all need. I'd like to ask when the Action Plan Against Racism will be published. I understand it was submitted by the Independent Anti-Racism Committee on the 27th of June, but it still hasn't been brought to the government. Thanks, Deputy. The plan hasn't yet been brought to government, but I'm informed by Minister Gorman that we will publish the National Action Plan Against Racism early next year, so hopefully in January or February. And just to note your comments, I want to make it very clear that migrants are welcome in Ireland. If it wasn't for migrants who would not be able to staff our public services, many of the big companies that employ a lot of people and pay a lot of tax here wouldn't be here. If it wasn't for the fact that they can recruit people from abroad and, of course, migrants, I believe, enrich our society and make it a much better place. And it's an old-fashioned trope for centuries by people on the far right and others that if there's unemployment, the migrants are to blame. If there's crime, the migrants are to blame. If there's a housing crisis, the migrants are to blame. And that's just totally wrong. Come on. Come on. Come on.
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