Cork TDs say migrant issues are on agenda

Cork TDs have denied the findings of a Millward Brown Lansdowne survey this week, which revealed that over one third of TDs surveyed said they believed that speaking up for migrants would have a negative effect on electoral support in their constituency.

Sinn Féin’s justice and equality spokesperson, Deputy Jonathan O’Brien, told the Cork Independent it was not impossible to think that speaking up for migrants might lead to a negative effect on electoral support in certain constituencies, “but this is due to successive administrations that have been quite happy to pit immigrant communities against others who have been consistently neglected by Government in an effort to distract them from their disadvantage”.

However, he affirmed his support for migrant issues, stating that the present naturalisation and residency processes was grossly inefficient, resulting in excessive, wholly unacceptable waiting times.

“We are also concerned by the harshness and lack of transparency in the application process. Applicants have been denied on vague and even spurious grounds of lack of ‘good character’.” 

This was “exemplified by a recent case in which a doctor working in the public health system was refused because she had once ran a red light on her bicycle”, he said. 

He argued that the lack of an appeals system was unfair and wrong and said Sinn Féin’s election manifesto proposed a fully independent and transparent Immigration Appeals Tribunal.

Minister of State with responsibility for equality, Labour’s Kathleen Lynch TD, said her office was colour-blind.

“I have never been afraid to speak up for migrants and indeed visited a number of direct provision centres in the past number of years. I would also make representations for individuals who have issues with employment permits, holiday visas or asylum cases. I do not think this has impacted negatively on my electoral support within Cork North Central,” she said.

She praised the work of Cork city groups such as Nasc, Cois Tine, New Communities Partnership and the Polish group, Together Razem.

Meanwhile Fianna Fáil TD and health spokesperson, Deputy Billy Kelleher said that as a former Minister for Labour Affairs, he was “acutely aware of the difficulties many migrants in Ireland have encountered”.

“I am aware of the very important work being carried out by groups in Cork in this area and I will do anything I can as a public representative to support their work,” he said.

He added that he would also be working on the establishment of NERA, the national employment rights authority, which has been undertaking work on behalf of people who have come to Ireland to work.

“I am also aware of some of the difficulties migrants have encountered in accessing health care and services and I believe all people in Ireland should be able to access the care that they need on the basis of that need and not on the basis of nationality,” he added.

Chairman of the Oireachtas Health Committee, Fine Gael TD, Jerry Buttimer agreed, stating that the mental health of those waiting for asylum in Cork was of concern.

“I would be calling on the Minister for Justice to start fast tracking the asylum process. I do believe we will see legislation changes regarding the migrant community in the next calendar year,” he added.