Leo Varadkar’s view that the level of immigration to Ireland is too high has been described as “utterly irresponsible” by People Before Profit. 

Earlier today, the former Taoiseach told Newstalk that he thought immigration benefits Ireland in many ways but the current rate of nearly 100,000 a year should ideally be brought down. 

He also said it is an “illusion” to say the Government has much influence over the numbers, given it cannot control how many people seek asylum in Ireland or move here from Britain, the European Union or Ukraine. 

On The Hard Shoulder, Dublin South-Central TD Bríd Smith said she strongly disagreed with Deputy Varadkar. 

“Coming from a former Taoiseach, I think it’s utterly irresponsible,” she said. 

“I think for the leaders of the country to make statements that lean into the idea that the problem in the country with homelessness etc [is because of] migrants, not the Government itself after 13 years with Fine Gael in power. 

“What they’re doing there is they’re pushing down and they want the population to look down and not look up at them. 

“Why? Because we’re coming into an election; it’s cynical, it’s irresponsible and it doesn’t add up to me.” 

Leo Varadkar in the Newstalk newsroom.

Deputy Smith said the Irish economy could not function without immigrants and they they should be made to feel welcome when they move here. 

“We need migrants,” she said. 

“Everybody is agreeing with that; we need bus drivers, we need nurses, we need carers, we need cleaners, we need all sorts of people working in this economy. 

“It’s a growing economy, one of the richest countries in the world; [the reason] we can’t cope with it is because people are coming into this country into a housing crisis and a service delivery crisis - created by the likes of Simon Harris and Leo Varadkar.” 

On Lunchtime Live, Deputy Varadkar said people who disagreed with his remarks should be asked what rate of immigration would be too high for them. 

When this was put to Deputy Smith, she described the former Taoiseach as “being a smart alec by putting it in those terms”. 

“He would never have answered that question when it came to him opening our doors to the Ukrainian refugees after the invasion by Putin,” she said. 

“He was asked it many times as Taoiseach.”

Main image: Bríd Smith speaking to the media outside Leinster House. Picture by: Sam Boal/RollingNews