GE2024... Issue of migration front and centre for some candidates on the ballot

IMMIGRATION

Immigration has been a big issue throughout the country and particularly for Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

While there are a number of direction provision centres in Meath and a proposal to house International Protection applicants in tented accommodation for up to 1,000 people at Thornton Hall, just outside Ashbourne, Meath hasn't witnessed the heated and sometimes violent protests seen in other parts of the country.

In fact there were heartwarming scenes in Kells last week, when the local community came out in force to offer their support to Ukrainian refugees who were facing being moved from their current accommodation in the town.

However, residents in Ashbourne and surrounding areas are extremely worried by the proposals for Thornton Hall which they say will put pressure on local roads, traffic, public transport and wastewater services.

A number of candidates, whose parties propose a harder line on immigration and asylum, are running in both Meath East and Meath West.

Navan-based Ben Gilroy and Ashbourne's Barbara Reid are both candidates for the Liberty Republic Party - Gilroy in Meath West and Reid in Meath East. Their party wants "a freeze on all legal immigration, the detention and deportation of all illegal immigrants and the prioritisation of housing for Irish people."

In Meath East, Jean Murray is running for The National Party whose policies include "the ending of all mass immigration into Ireland" and "a positive policy of remigration in order to secure Ireland as the homeland of the Irish people." Ian McGauley is running in Meath West for the Irish People and among their policies are" prioritising housing for Irish citizens" and "endorsing sensible immigration policies."

As regards International Protection Applicants. Minister McEntee said she has been improving the whole process of asylum applications. "We are ramping up the process and applications are dealt with more quickly. If people have a right to be here they can move on with their lives, but if not, it is much easier to remove them when they haven't been here long.

"Thornton Hall is a large site owned by the government, but it is so important that it is done with the support and engagement of the local community and more work needs to be done on that. "People have genuine concern about where will they go, where they will access transport, how will they integrate into the community we need to have those answers before the site is developed."