Migration and asylum seekers are not “behind the failures of society”, according to a first-time MEP candidate. 

The Anton Savage Show spoke to first-timers Independent MEP candidate Shayk Dr Umar Al-Qadri and Fine Gael MEP candidate John Mullins today. 

Dr Al-Qadri, who is running in the Dublin constituency, said the November riot was a “watershed moment” and prompted him to run for elections. 

“As a Muslim, I have obviously faced some phobia, I've already been targeted for a long time by people that are radicalised,” he said. 

“I'm an advisor to a number of projects headed by the EU that target racism – I should be on the table where decisions are made.” 

He hopes to combat misinformation and “divisive rhetoric” at a European level. 

“It's those people that are now protesting in front of refugee centres, asylum centres, thinking that these are the people that are the behind the failures of the of our of society,” he said. 

“In all fairness to our other guest, the reality is that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is the Government that has been there for the past 20 years, and that has been the failure.” 

Dr Al-Qadri said issues like the housing shortage and cost of living are not due to increased migration but failing Government policy. 

Migration and housing issues

Mr Mullins, running in the South constituency, said the Government parties are not to blame for “a lot of issues”. 

“I'll take it back 11 years – we had ghost estates all over the country, coming out of a recession,” he said. 

“We've had a meteoric economic growth rate which in itself has created a net immigration I'm absolutely all for.” 

Mr Mullins, who was President of Young Fine Gael in the 1990s, said the Government should not be “fully responsible” for housing. 

“They should not be [responsible], by the way, you need the private market to respond,” he said. 

“The majority of houses that are being built at this point in time are being built by builder developers.” 

Mr Mullins argued he has the international and domestic experience as a business owner to head to Brussels, while Dr Al-Qadri said his 21 years in Dublin have prepared him to represent the region at the European Parliament. 

Voting for European and local elections takes place on June 7th. 

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