Joe O'Reilly Urges Public Education on Migration and Condemns Racism
Joe O'Reilly addressed migration, condemning recent racial attacks and calling for clearer public education on the distinction between economic migrants and international protection applicants. He defended the temporary protection scheme for Ukrainians and stressed the essential contribution of migrants to the workforce.
He thanked the minister for a humane approach and wisdom, and welcomed Councillor Yemi, guest of Senator Linda Nelson-Murray, as an exemplar of immigration. He said he wants to "utterly condemn the racial attacks recently, particularly against, notably against members of the Indian community," and insisted all such attacks be unequivocally condemned.
He reminded listeners that since the end of the 18th century and through the 19th century, accelerated by the famine, Irish people have sought international protection worldwide. He argued that this history should inform how the country approaches present migration questions.
He said one in five people in the country are economic migrants and gave a 2025 breakdown of workers: 12,500 in the health service, 54% of nurses trained abroad, 6,000 in IT, 3,500 in agriculture, and 3,000 in hospitality, with high but unquantified numbers in engineering and construction. He stressed that demographic trends make economic migrants increasingly necessary.
He defended the under-temporary protection scheme for Ukrainians, saying it is uncontroversial and citing Senator Hearn's figures that about 120,000 have come in with roughly 80,000 currently here and 80,000 there; he noted many are temporary applicants and many will return, while those who stay will contribute. He gave international protection application figures - 13,643 (2020), 13,271 (2023), 18,554 (2024) and 9,580 (2025) after initiatives - and described these numbers as minuscule in the overall migration context. He also quoted deportation order figures as having "gone right from 8,57 to 24,000 to 3,3" and urged the minister to fund a stronger media education campaign to clarify distinctions between categories of migrants.
He welcomed the move to use state lands and state housing to return hotels to public use and asked the minister to elaborate on projections for that work. He closed by praising a senator for extending time, noting wryly the ability to make "six minutes out of three."
Opening acknowledgements and condemnation of racial attacks
He thanked the minister for a humane approach and wisdom, and welcomed Councillor Yemi, guest of Senator Linda Nelson-Murray, as an exemplar of immigration. He said he wants to "utterly condemn the racial attacks recently, particularly against, notably against members of the Indian community," and insisted all such attacks be unequivocally condemned.
Historical context and perspective on protection
He reminded listeners that since the end of the 18th century and through the 19th century, accelerated by the famine, Irish people have sought international protection worldwide. He argued that this history should inform how the country approaches present migration questions.
Economic migrants and workforce figures
He said one in five people in the country are economic migrants and gave a 2025 breakdown of workers: 12,500 in the health service, 54% of nurses trained abroad, 6,000 in IT, 3,500 in agriculture, and 3,000 in hospitality, with high but unquantified numbers in engineering and construction. He stressed that demographic trends make economic migrants increasingly necessary.
International protection statistics and the Ukrainian scheme
He defended the under-temporary protection scheme for Ukrainians, saying it is uncontroversial and citing Senator Hearn's figures that about 120,000 have come in with roughly 80,000 currently here and 80,000 there; he noted many are temporary applicants and many will return, while those who stay will contribute. He gave international protection application figures - 13,643 (2020), 13,271 (2023), 18,554 (2024) and 9,580 (2025) after initiatives - and described these numbers as minuscule in the overall migration context. He also quoted deportation order figures as having "gone right from 8,57 to 24,000 to 3,3" and urged the minister to fund a stronger media education campaign to clarify distinctions between categories of migrants.
State lands, housing and closing remarks
He welcomed the move to use state lands and state housing to return hotels to public use and asked the minister to elaborate on projections for that work. He closed by praising a senator for extending time, noting wryly the ability to make "six minutes out of three."
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Transcript
Thank you very much, Carhearlock. Can I welcome at the outset Minister Brophy and thank you for the great work you're doing here and the humane approach you bring to it and wisdom. So thank you for that. Can I welcome somebody who's a wonderful exemplar of the best of our immigrants and what's diversity, the wonder of diversity in our country, the guest of my colleague, Senator Linda Nelson-Murray, Councillor Yemi in the gallery there, who exemplifies the best of immigration to our country. Can I say that at the outset as well that I want to utterly condemn the racial attacks recently, particularly against, notably against members of the Indian community, but no matter who they're against, we want to unequivocally condemn it. Can I also get it said, and it merits saying again, that since the end of the 18th century, right through the 19th century, accelerated by the famine, Irish people have sought international protection all over the world and received it. And I think we should be aware of that as we approach this question. Can I also turn to the question of economic migrants, one in five in the country at the moment, and say that in a breakdown here in 2025 in the health system, 12,500 economic migrants, or rather people who have come in to work, and 54% of nurses trained abroad, 12,500 working in the health service, in IT, 6,000, in agriculture, 3,500, in our hospitals, our hospitality, sorry, 3,000. And there aren't accurate figures for engineering and construction, but the numbers are very high. So we really need these economic migrants, we need them, and our demographic structures in Ireland will make them increasingly necessary. And I think that's a backdrop that needs to be kept in protection. Now, also, or in context, Also, I think there's nobody who would say in or reasonably mentally well who would question the correctness of bringing in the under-temporary protection scheme the Ukrainians to this country. And to date, my colleague, Senator Hearn, who has a personal interest in Ukraine and an expert, he tells me that about 120,000 have come in and all, currently there's about 80,000 there, 80,000 here. They are here as temporary applicants, and they have a lot to bring to our country, and they will bring a lot to our country. A lot of them will go back, but those who stay have immense things to give us. But that is a scheme that nobody would question. So to turn to the question of international protection applicants, they're very small in number, and there's a lot of misnomers here. For example, in 2020, we had 13,643. In 2023, 13,271. In 2024, 18,554. In 2025, interestingly, as a consequence of a number of initiatives, 9,580. So let's be realistic. This is very minuscule in the overall context of migration. So let's not be crazy in our analysis of this. People need to know that. This is the edge of the... And I have something to say to the Minister on that, but just another figure. Deportation orders have gone right from 8,57 to 24,000 to 3,3. So what I would like the Minister to consider a better education campaign in our media, I'd ask you to look at your budget for this, to let the people know the difference. There are a number of people that I meet in shops, hairdressing saloons, everywhere, who talk to me with the best of human intent, but with complete ignorance of the situation, that the distinction between economic... So could we have an education campaign, more than you're even doing? Thank you, Senator. A public education campaign on this issue. I also welcome, and I'm finishing, the movement to the use of state lands and state housing, because we need our hotels back open. And would the Minister elaborate on where we're at with that, how he projects that to go on into the future? You have managed to make six minutes out of three. Well done, Senator. It is a debate that we could go on with for a while. Well done, Senator.