Right-wing politics in Ireland today is a loose mix of small parties, protest groups, online activists and loudmouths who claim they’re standing up for “ordinary Irish people”. You’ll hear the same lines over and over: Ireland is full, migrants are to blame, elites don’t listen, the nation is under threat. It all sounds fierce and radical, like someone’s finally saying what people are thinking. But once you strip away the shouting and the flags, there’s very little there for working-class communities trying to survive in neoliberal Ireland.
From a traditional revolutionary point of view, politics is meant to be about power, housing, work, dignity and control over our own lives. On those basics, the Irish right wing comes up empty.
Take housing, the biggest crisis in working-class Dublin and across the country. Rents through the roof, families stuck in childhood bedrooms, homelessness becoming normalised. What have these groups actually done? They haven’t built a single house. They haven’t organised tenants. They haven’t fought vulture funds, land hoarders or developers. They haven’t pushed councils to compulsorily purchase land or expand public housing at scale.
All they offer is blame. Refugees. Migrants. Anyone weaker than the people actually making money off the crisis. That doesn’t house a single family. It doesn’t lower a single rent. It just divides neighbours against each other while landlords and speculators laugh all the way to the bank.
On workers’ rights, it’s the same story. Big talk about “hard-working Irish people” but no support for trade unions, collective bargaining, sick pay, job security or protections against exploitation. In fact, many of these groups openly sneer at unions as left-wing or foreign. So what exactly are workers meant to do? Clap ourselves into dignity? Real power for working people has always come from our communities through revolutionary organisation, not from shouting at the wrong targets.
The cost-of-living crisis hits hardest where wages are lowest, and housing is least secure. Energy bills, childcare, transport, food. Again, no serious proposals. No plans to cap rents properly. No mass public housing programme. No challenge to corporate profiteering. Just culture war noise and conspiracy talk. It’s politics without solutions, anger without direction.
And here’s the quiet truth that doesn’t get said enough: these groups help Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael stay in power. They split the vote in working-class areas. They pull people away from class-based politics and into sectarian identity traps. Instead of building a united front against landlords, developers and corporate power, they fracture communities along lines of race and nationality. The result is the continuation of the same two parties, year after year, with the same failed housing and economic policies, while pretending there’s no alternative.
Outside of rallies, protests and social media rows, what’s left behind? No community centres. No housing co-ops. No advice clinics. No long-term organising. No legacy. Just burnt-out anger and more disillusionment. People are right to be furious about the state of the country. They’re right to feel abandoned. But being angry isn’t enough. Anger has to be turned into power, and power has to be organised.
Irish republicanism, at its best, was about taking control of our future, not scapegoating the powerless. Socialism is about making sure everyone has a home, a job with dignity, and a life worth living. The far right offers none of that. It offers identity instead of solidarity, blame instead of solutions, and noise instead of change.
Working-class Ireland doesn’t need more division. We need houses built, rents slashed, wages raised, and communities strengthened. At some point, we have to be honest with ourselves and with each other. These right-wing hate parties have nothing positive to offer our communities. No homes, no jobs, no security, no future. All they bring is division, suspicion and neighbour set against neighbour.
That kind of politics weakens us and keeps the real power exactly where it is. Working-class people don’t win by tearing each other apart; we win by standing together. Now more than ever, we need unity, solidarity and a politics that fights for housing, workers’ rights and dignity for all. It’s time to walk away from the dead ends of hate and build something better together.
⏩Pádraig Drummond is an anti-racism activist.
⏩Pádraig Drummond is an anti-racism activist.
"We need houses built, rents slashed, wages raised, and communities strengthened"
ReplyDeleteAnd this is possible with the levels of immigration Ireland is seeing? Don't get me wrong I'm on board with your sentiments, just curious what answer the modern Left has to this.
Steve - We've had this conversation before.
DeleteTrue in some respects but there is a debate to be had on immigration. Unregulated immigration is not the answer and only puts pressure on services, not least the health sector. I don’t think it’s far right to have concerns about immigration and the negative effects of it. Only two weeks ago, in Warwickshire in the English Midlands, two illegal immigrants were found guilty of raping a 12 year old girl. There have been plenty of other examples of these kind of incidents too. I don’t think it’s extremist or far right to ask questions such as why is this occurring and how people like this have been allowed entry into the country
ReplyDeleteStuart - It's not far right to have concerns about immigration and ask questions. The problem tends to be that the far right prey on these concerns and offer answers to these questions that suit their particular agenda, which are then swallowed whole without closer scrutiny by some that are asking these questions or have concerns.
DeleteWhen the far right narrative is swallowed, it gets repeated and cognitive biases emerge. When cognitive biases occur, any arguments counter to the far right narrative can often pass directly through the ears of certain people as though there is nothing in between them. This has even become evident here on TPQ, where plenty counter arguments have been presented, but failed to register, or summarily ignored.
Under closer scrutiny, as I've mentioned several times here on TPQ, the far right arguments regarding immigration tends to be inconsistent, contradictory, often hypocritical, and wholly mis-guided, it doesn't pass muster, at least for those with the capacity and willing to see past prejudice.
Of course the debate regarding immigration is an important one, it shouldn't be dismissed, but it needs to be on a sensible basis, which requires concession if and when certain arguments are shown to be fallacious. Without concession, the debate becomes an exercise of pointless repetition and stagnation instead of progression. Without progression, the danger becomes an increase in far right sentiment. The danger of far right sentiment is historically evident, and one can even see very recently the dire consequences of such, even if it has not quite yet reached historical heights. The importance of avoiding such consequences can not be understated.
Build 30 K homes a year ( per capita one of the highest rates in Europe ) , allow 150 K migrants enter the country annually , 600 K adults live with parents , population naturally increases by 20 K p a . What has happened / happens to the cost of purchasing & renting housing ? It predictably increased by a factor of 12 ( currency adjusted ) in Dublin during the past three decades .
ReplyDeleteI don’t disagree with much of that Matt but I’m afraid that lately, we have seen people who have legitimate concerns about immigration dismissed as far right and their opinions and undermined as a result. In my opinion, a true debate about immigration has yet to take place and look, I’m far from far right. In terms of the Irish situation, or at least that in the six counties, I’m aware that ideologically and politically, my own Republican views are in striking contrast to that which would probably be held by those of a far right persuasion. Indeed, I believe that immigration, controlled and applied with common sense, benefits the country. But open borders and unregulated immigration or illegal immigration where a county has no control over who is coming into the nation is madness. To expand a little on my original point too, we have seen the grooming gang scandal, a regular litany of incidents of crime perpetrated by illegal immigrants who should not be here in the first place. It’s madness to dismiss this and not to employ a regulated and organised application to controlling immigration. Indeed, the kind of concerns and regular reports of illegal immigration will only further play into the hands of the far right as people will look to parties such as reform as the mainstream parties have shown they have no answer to this problem. I feel that until those concerns are addressed, until we can have a sensible debate on this issue where people who do have legitimate concerns about the lack of control over immigration, then the far right will gain traction. Those on the left who shout down any debate on this issue or vilify any ordinary citizen who expresses dissatisfaction or concern are only going to push those same people to the far right if they feel their concerns are just being dismissed
ReplyDeleteStuart - To avoid repetition, I'll point you to this well-written article by Gérard Malachy and the resulting thread in the comment section. If you're familiar with this thread and still have questions or seek discourse on any discussed points, perhaps I can point to other threads, or address the questions directly.
DeleteExcellent article. There were over 70,000 empty homes in the Republic of Ireland in 2023. The targets of new builds north and south are not being met. Corporations, other businesses and individuals who can afford it can also own as many residential buildings as they desire. There is no security of tenure. There are no rent caps and no sign of any EFFECTIVE caps coming in soon. Too much speculation by too few, the majority suffer and the far right blame refugees and migrants who have a negligible impact on the problem.
ReplyDeleteIceland have practically solved problems of homelessness. They were forced to because the country is so cold but if they can do it why can other countries not replicate it? I may have missed it but I can't remember those campaigning for housing rights under the guise of the far right campaigning for the homeless. Blaming the immigrant is easy but as Pádraig says it's blaming the wrong demographic.
The UK s experiencing a such a low net immigration figure that businesses and services are suffering a worker shortage. The population is getting older, no youngsters to work to pay taxes to fund public pensions and a pressure to staff the already under-pressure NHS in a proper fashion.
Nothing wrong with having concerns about immigration but when you speak about "unregulated immigration" it is a nonsense. It is heavily regulated. There are no open borders. When people talk about things which evoke emotions but are easily debunked that smacks of the far right and not genuine concerns. Anything that can be debunked with 5 minutes research but is repeated despite being challenged smacks of being voiced by the far right or those who mimic them.
It is not nonsense or heavily regulated when there is no control over the borders and people are flooding over and arriving in the country illegally! If you think that is control over immigration then god help us. But as is usual, another person who wants to pretend that immigration has no cause for concern dismissing it as nonsense just proves that my contention is correct. Dismissing the legitimate concerns as nonsense is just proving that a sensible debate cannot and will not be allowed to take place. Yes, there is a lot of misinformation out there but that doesn’t mean all of it is misinformation that can easily be dismissed out of hand. Maybe you want to fact check the extent of grooming gangs, incidents like the one I used an example above in Warwickshire. They aren’t misinformation, they happened and like it or not, they are a huge concern
DeleteStuart - more examples of things that can be debunked with 5 minutes research but are repeated despite being challenged and which smacks of being voiced by the far right or those who mimic them.
DeleteYou say there is no control over the borders. I doubt you have studied immigration law. Of course people arrive without permission but "flooding"? Usual use of terminology to provoke emotion. There is a legal framework to all immigration. Do you expect a border patrol or border posts on every inch of the coastline? People may come here with no valid permission but stringent immigration laws are there and like any law they can be broken. Tell me, approximately how many "flood over and arrive in the country illegally"?
Another thing you bring up is grooming gangs. They are a huge concern but blaming immigrants is something else that can be debunked with 5 minutes research but is repeated despite being challenged and which smacks of being voiced by the far right or those who mimic them. Figures from the police database show in England and Wales, where ethnicity is recorded, that in the first three quarters of 2024 - 85% of group-based child abusers were white. That figure is not an aberration. Your painting of grooming gangs as an immigrant problem is not misinformation but disinformation.
Stuart - To be fair, Simon did not dismiss concerns as nonsense, but rather the claim that there is unregulated immigration and open borders, in which case, Simon is correct, it is a nonsense. To say that it is not controlled to your particular liking would be more accurate, but that's much different to what was claimed.
DeletePerhaps I'm mistaken, but I think the illegality occurs only if a person enters then avoids process, or remains after their claim is processed and are deemed to have no right to remain.
Grooming gangs and/or any abuse is of course a concern, but it appears the concern tends to be highlighted and heightened more so when immigrants are involved, this points towards that particular concern being dependant, and this is where cognitive biases play a part. When this dependency is pointed out at any time, cognitive dissonance occurs. It appears very hypocritical. It also leans towards fallacy and plays on prejudice both by and towards. It seeks to tar everyone with the same brush. Tarring everyone with the same brush does not occur with the indigenous population, it should not occur with migrants either. These points have been addressed here on TPQ on numerous occasions, not least on the thread that I provided.
Your contention is incorrect, sensible debate can, and is allowed to take place, however, dubious or false claims will quite rightly be countered, and when necessary, called out for what they are. The language anyone uses to do this, no matter which side of the debate they argue can be critical if we are to appeal to reason.
The End Violence Against Women Coalition who know more about the subject than most said "The far-right has long co-opted sexual violence to promote its racist, white supremacist agenda. These are often known misogynists who do nothing to meaningfully improve women and girls’ autonomy, rights and freedoms, and tend to have patriarchal views.
DeleteViolence against women and girls is a national epidemic that requires urgent, meaningful action. We will not let the far-right weaponise and distort public concerns about it to further its hateful agenda. Sexual violence is not political fodder.
Our thoughts and solidarity are with the teenage girl subjected to sexual violence and with the migrant and minoritised communities being targeted with racist violence."
The grooming gangs scandal needs to be decoupled from the immigration debate. For both perpetrators and victims were British born, the perpetrators being second or third generation South Asian heritage and the victims white working class, vulnerable girls and young women.
ReplyDelete"Britain is not, fundamentally, a country that wants to take strong punitive action on migration, or to vote for nationalist parties. Political moderation, internationalism, moral idealism, toleration and gradualism are centuries old features of the British system. When one understands how profound the antipathy to this kind of politics in Britain is, one also starts to grasp how vast and destabilising the provocations required to give such politics traction have been.
ReplyDeleteThe perceptual gulf is very extreme. Those still locked into institutions and informational spaces that shelter them from such inconvenient truths look on uncomprehendingly at the segment of people for whom Reform does not go far enough. It isn’t that those on the populist Right always have a clear grasp of reality — and the distortions, hysteria and conspiracies rife in this world speak for themselves. What critics fail to realise, however, is that however foggy the truth claims of populists, they are the only ones addressing an entire area of policy and concern that progressives refuse even to acknowledge.
Apart from mass migration and its consequences, there is a widespread and correct perception that core national institutions no longer act in the national or public interest. This fuels often conspiratorial narratives of elite betrayal and capture, yet if the framing narrative is distorted, the general sentiment reflects a realm simply invisible to respectable opinion."
https://thecritic.co.uk/everyone-wants-to-live-in-the-90s/
Small Boat Arrivals by Year
ReplyDelete2018: 299
2019: 1,843
2020: 8,466
2021: 28,526
2022: 45,774
2023: 29,437
2024: 36,816
2025 (Jan-June): 43,000 (detected, Note: This is a higher figure than the 2024 total, suggesting a potential re-calculation or change in reporting scope from 2024 figures)
The figures here highlight the growth of the problem. No I don’t expect or think that every inch of the coastline can be covered to stop illegal immigrants gaining entry into the country but by the same token, the growing extent of illegal migration into the country is an escalating problem as this just one example of statistics alludes to. If that’s not a ‘flood’ I’m at a loss what you think constitutes one. Again, I’m not far right at all and I’m certainly of the notion that controlled immigration is a benefit for any country. But immigration law or not, there is a concerning escalation in illegal migration that needs to be addressed and will not go away as long as these figure continue to grow to such a marked degree. I take the point about the grooming gang scandal and that most perpetrators were second or third generation Asian men rather than immigrants themselves but it still points to a debate about the rising tide of immigration and the concerns inherent with it. Yes, there is a lot of ‘home grown’ perversion and sexual offenders but that doesn’t mean we can just conveniently brush this issue under the carpet. Simon and Matt, I don’t disagree with a lot of what you say but I do find it difficult to keep lumping people in to a convenient pigeon hole of far right or racists when they express their concerns or dismiss these arguments as nonsense. Maybe I’m not particularly au fait with immigration law but whilst theory is all well and good, I think what’s actually happening on the ground holds more importance and I’d point to the statistics above. Illegal immigration has grown exponentially in recent years and it is unsustainable and a real concern and if people who hold those concerns are regularly dismissed then they will be driven into the arms of the far right which is certainly not what I or the vast majority of people want to see. I certainly don’t want to see Farage as the next UK PM or Reform in power but that’s a distinct possibility and the dismissive attitude of many in the left is facilitating that. There has to be a more common sense approach to immigration. So no, I don’t expect every inch to be monitored but I do note that countries with far larger coastal boundaries such as Australia, Canada, USA etc seem to have a more sensible immigration policy than the Uk which has been quite frankly, been an absolute disaster for many years now.
Stuart. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're not trying to deceive anyone. The 43,000 small boat figure is for the 12 month period ending June 2025 and not January to June.
DeleteWe do not know how many were granted asylum, deported etc. The figure of 43,000 small boat arrivals is 88% of the 49,000 who arrive through channels which are irregular. I have never heard voices of concern about those who drown making the journey by the far right. If we're worried about people's safety those deaths should be a concern and if not, racism certainly plays a role.
In the year ending June 2025 111,000 people claimed asylum and about half of these applicants were granted refugee status which they're entitled to. Under international law people at risk of death or persecution have a right to be apply for asylum. This is a good thing as they escape certain death, torture or other persecution in their own countries. Asylum seekers are not obliged to seek asylum in any particular country they travel through. Many come to UK because they have family or friends here or because they can speak good English but maybe have no German or French. The British colonised the world, using much violence, torture and imprisonment but they taught their subjects English.
Stuart - You claimed open borders, uncontrolled and unregulated immigration with an emphasis on illegal immigration. You provided statistics you say support your claim. However, the fact that there are any statistics at all points towards the borders being neither open, uncontrolled or unregulated. The statistics you provided are also not of illegal immigration as you claimed, the language here is important. Furthermore your focus seems to be towards small boat crossings since these are the stats you provided, however, small boat crossings make up a very minority percentage of overall migration. It always seems strange to me when the focus is here and only here if the issue or concern is overall migration.
DeleteYou've repeatedly highlighted abuse as part of your concern. No one here is trying to "conveniently brush" abuse under the carpet, but the fallacy of this argument has been pointed out to you. It seems though, that this is what gets conveniently brushed under the carpet, along with any factual counter to your claims regarding unregulated borders and illegalities.
I wouldn't use USA as a glowing example of immigration policy either. They are murdering their own citizens in broad daylight in front of cameras, I shudder to think of what they do to people behind closed doors. That's not a policy I would want to see anywhere.
I don't see anyone here "lumping" you in with the far right or racists, but rather pointing out argumentation often used by the far right, and/or any flaws in argumentation including or otherwise. There have been claims and counters as is to be expected in any debate. As I've mentioned, there is no problem having opinion on immigration, no one here from what I can see have yet to dismiss your concerns, only your argumentation. The problem is when counter arguments are dismissed, fallacious or flawed arguments get repeated ad nauseum, no concessions are made, and the repetitive nature is why the debate gets bogged down. Repetition, stagnation, no progression.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2025/how-many-people-come-to-the-uk-irregularly
ReplyDeleteAgain, more statistics that I’m sorry, are not indicative of your view that the British isles has a robust approach to immigrations. These numbers are very stark
Stuart of those who come to the UK by irregular routes, some are granted asylum if they're entitled, some are forcibly returned and some voluntarily return. This is the same for those arriving through other routes. Not all arrivals stay. That is the point you seem to be missing.
DeleteThere is a lack of workers in many sectors in the UK. We need more immigrants not less.
Figures from the police database show in England and Wales, where ethnicity is recorded, that in the first three quarters of 2024 - 85% of group-based child abusers were white. However, all demographics will contain criminals. It is bizarre to think otherwise. The idea of open borders is a nonsense. Arrivals are returned both forcibly and voluntarily. Half of asylum claims are rejected. Economic migrants are deported. Criminals are also deported. Talk of open boarders implies a free for all. You said "open borders and unregulated immigration or illegal immigration where a county has no control over who is coming into the nation is madness." Read further Stuart and you'll find you can't stick by your statement that the country has no control over who is coming into the nation. The only madness was the statement itself.
Daft question but I know the boat arrivals from France to England make the relatively easy crossing across the channel but how to the immigrants get into Ireland from the likes of Africa? The Atlantic and Irish seas would be a lot more fierce?
ReplyDelete90 % arrive via the # 6 counties .
DeleteThanks Ron, but ergo they would have went through Europe into England via France then through Stranraer-Belfast?
DeleteI thought the UK would have been the desirable endpoint?
# 12 million people of working age in the UK don't work . There are a mere 750 K unfilled jobs . Labour shortage should be solved internally ; if not there are 19 million registered as unemployed across Europe ( who attain employment visas quite easily if they earn > £ 32 K p a . ) . No need to import labour from Angola , Bangladesh etc .
ReplyDeleteRed Ron - I have not checked, but the statistics you provided may indeed be correct, however, there are a lot more variables to consider. Job vacancies on their own is not enough for any meaningful analysis, the exact jobs that are vacant should also be included at the very least. Do you have any figures for job vacancy projections, and for which sectors? Of the 12 million you say are of working age but don't work, do you have any breakdown of why they aren't working? Do you know how long they will remain within working age range? Do you have a breakdown of the skills and/or qualifications for that 12 million? There are plenty more variables to also consider.
DeleteAngola, Bangladesh? Interesting choice of countries. Were they random, or was there a reason for those countries in particular?
How does Europe's number of registered unemployed equate to whether there is a need or not for any worker(s) from the countries you mentioned? Or are you simply stating your preference? If so, are there any reasons in particular for this preference?
Ok, fair enough and I take on board responses from both Simon and Matt. I do believe immigration should be controlled and the issue of illegal immigration is one that I think is a concern but some food for thought that I will look at and consider. I just hope I’ve outlined clearly where I come from. I think this issue is very emotive and delicate and it’s one where people who express beliefs can be tagged as being at the extreme of both spectrums when they are not at all. I do believe in controlled borders and immigration but also believe that immigration is required on a number of fronts, such as jobs/economy, health workers and the benefits of cultural diversity. But food for thought and I will do some more research on what Simon and Matt have expressed
ReplyDeleteFair play to you Stuart.
DeletePersonally, everyone should be free to live where they want. Let's keep things real, we are all here for a short time, and everyone is going to be dead for a long time.
ReplyDeleteThe argument that the right is wrong and the left is right---it's a green/orange, red/blue, us/them vegan argument.
The truth is, it is an up/down issue. And the people at the top don't care about left/right. They care about themselves, they don't care about you, me, or a boy named Sue...
Frankie - There are some that advocate for a world without borders. Currently, I would find it very difficult to argue for. I think controls are sensible.
DeleteMatt, we are glorified apes---....All this telling people where they can or can't live----fcuk that. If someone wants to cross a man-made or natural border to impose their life, I don't have an issue with that...
ReplyDelete**improve not impose...
ReplyDeleteFrankie - I think the idea sounds nice, but there are many practicalities to consider.
DeleteFor instance - Let's say 1 person migrating to the Isle of Wight doesn't seem problematic, however, 2 billion migrating there with immediate effect might be. So the number that is practical lies somewhere in between. Now, one may argue over what that exact number may be for any given location, many may disagree on the number, and there will be many factors involved that may determine what the number is. I also think there other factors to consider aside from just the numbers.
Many times in immigration debates, I've heard the argument "we're too full". So far, on each occasion, I have disagreed. That's not to say though that a certain number can not be found that would make it impractical. Perhaps you recall a piece featured here on TPQ from Gaia Baracetti? It’s Not Racist To Say We Are Full. I commented on her article as to what I think thus far about the "we're too full" argument.