THE INFLUX of refugees has emerged as a "surprise issue" among voters in Dublin city centre. Two politicians campaigning in the city yesterday expressed concern about the racist comments of some constituents.
Campaigning in Dublin Central, the Fine Gael TD Mr Jim Mitchell said the numbers of refugees was a concern to his constituents. Last week it was raised as an issue on the doorsteps six times one day, and 12 times the next.
"It's a huge issue and it's certainly the surprise issue of the campaign here," Mr Mitchell said. He said the immigrant issue was raised "in almost racialist terms" by some constituents, which he found "very distasteful".
"One man said `Get the nignogs out and I'll vote for you'. Another said `Enoch Powell had it right in England in the 1950s and no one listened to him'."
Mr Mitchell stressed that only a minority was raising the issue in such terms, but he was "very taken aback and upset" on hearing their comments.
Most of those who raised the issue wanted to know why welfare payments were available to foreigners. "Some people have also complained to me that they can be very rowdy," Mr Mitchell added.
The Labour TD Mr Joe Costello said he divided the refugees into three groups: those who were genuinely seeking asylum from persecution, those who entered the country illegally to take advantage of welfare payments, and those who were claiming welfare both in the Republic and Britain.
"The second two groups are obviously giving the genuine person a bad name," he said. "The situation is getting out of hand and if allowed to develop further will lead to increasing tension between the public and members of the international community living here."
Mr Costello said part of the was that so many migrants had been located by the social services in parts of the north inner city. This concentration had made their presence very obvious.
"It has played havoc with people's perceptions, and there's quite a level of racism creeping in," he said.