TDs fear fallout of supporting migrants - survey

TDs FEAR that showing support for migrants could damage their electoral chances, according to a survey commissioned by children’s charity the One Foundation.

More than one-third of TDs who responded to the Millward Brown Lansdowne survey said they believed that speaking up for migrants would have a negative effect on electoral support in their constituency.

Almost two-thirds said they encountered racist sentiments while canvassing for the last general election.

Fewer than half of TDs participated in the survey, with 74 of the current cohort taking part. However, those surveyed overwhelmingly believed that showing support for migrants would play badly with their constituents.

Just 4 per cent felt it would be electorally beneficial to speak in favour of migrants, with 36 per cent saying it would have a negative effect. One in five made specific attempts to target votes from naturalised Irish in the 2011 general election, and almost one-third believe that immigration will become a contentious issue in future elections.

However, while they believed their constituents were hostile to migrants, they claimed their own attitude to non-Irish nationals was positive. Most TDs surveyed saw potential economic benefits which could be derived from immigration.

Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) thought the potential trade links that immigrants have with their home countries were underutilised. A similar number – 72 per cent – agreed that immigrants have an important role to play in the recovery of the economy, while nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) thought that immigrants’ skills are underutilised in Ireland.

The Integration Centre, which campaigns for the integration of migrants and was involved in designing the survey, said the results showed an urgent need for a national integration strategy.

“Despite most TDs encountering racism while canvassing in the most recent general election only a minority have spoken out in favour of immigrants and more than a third believe their constituents would punish them at the polls for doing so,” chief executive of the centre, Killian Forde, said.