‘Nothing will satisfy’ anti-asylum seeker protestors, Shane Coleman has claimed. 

Today, Sinn Féin is launching its new policy on immigration - calling for greater consultation with communities before asylum seekers are housed in an area.

The party wants an audit of each area to evaluate whether local services will be able to cope with any increase in population.

They would also legislate to end the “two-tier system” so that Ukrainians are treated in the same way as other new arrivals.

Sinn Féin describes this approach as rooted in the values of  “equality, anti-racism and human rights”.

On Newstalk Breakfast today, presenter Shane Coleman said the policy “makes sense” given the impact an increased population can have on an area.

“When a centre is going to be set up or asylum seekers are going to be moved into an area, I think councillors are well within their right to go to the Government and say, ‘We have to do our bit, everyone has to do their bit but this is an area that is struggling with housing, that is struggling with the health service, struggling with education - what are you going to give us in order to help improve those services?’” he said.

Tens housing asylum seekers outside of the International Protection Office today. Image: Newstalk/Barry Whyte.

Despite this, Shane said improved consultation is unlikely to be a “game changer” when it comes to the way some people view the arrival of asylum seekers into their local area.

“I think the reality is, often when people talk about consultation what they actually mean is a veto,” he said.

“There’ll be nothing that they’ve been promised or given that will satisfy them.

“Unfortunately, the reality is many communities do not want asylum seekers in their communities.

“You can offer whatever you want; for those people, I don’t think their views are going to change.

“I think that is the unfortunate reality.”

Members of the public pass tents belonging to asylum seekers along the Grand Canal. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

Fellow presenter Ciara Kelly said she wondered whether the policy would be practical to implement.

“When hundreds of people arrive per week, I’m not sure how much leeway there is to plan in a timely fashion,” she said.

“I’m not sure what happens in the meantime [while] waiting on the audit.

“Secondly, someone texted in this morning to say, most places in the country are short of GPs and are short of school paces and all that kind of stuff.

“In which case, it’s hard to know where we could locate anybody.”

Up to July 7th this year, 11,052 people have applied for asylum in Ireland.

Main image: Split of Shane Coleman and Gardaí in Coolock. 23/07/2024. Pictures by Newstalk and Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie