Eamon Ryan has said he understands why Irish people are developing tougher views on the issue of immigration.

The Green Party leader was speaking in light of an Irish Times/Ipsos poll that found most voters want to see a more 'closed' policy in relation to international protection applications.

Minister Ryan said it is due to the large numbers coming into the country. 

“It is understandable,” he said. 

“It’s a hard thing to do and particularly when it comes in such large numbers in the last two years - from both Ukraine and through the International Protection process.

“The other interesting thing in that survey was that it asked Irish people do you think in the end that having people come into the country is good for the country or bad for the country? 

“The majority still very much saw that it was good.” 

Asylum seekers in tents along the Grand Canal in Dublin, 06/05/2024. Image: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

Minister Ryan also conceded that many asylum seekers are living in substandard accommodation and said the Government is investigating different alternatives. 

“We’ll have to put up tented accommodation with sanitary, washing, toilets and other facilities,” he said. 

“But we also need other buildings where you can actually set up more medium-term solutions - this autumn we need to be looking at that.” 

Inspections of asylum seeker accommodation carried out by HIQA earlier this year found different levels of non-compliance in all eight locations.

Main image: Eamon Ryan in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk