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6 months ago
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Furious locals in Dublin have claimed the Rwanda effect in Ireland is 'getting ridiculous' as more migrants fly in from the UK in a bid to avoid being deported to Africa.
Dozens of migrants are fleeing across the Irish Sea every day and setting up camp in the Irish capital amid an ongoing row with the British government over immigration.
Hundreds had been sleeping rough beside Dublin's International Protection Office, which had no toilets or washing facilities - before the camp was cleared on Wednesday by the Irish authorities.
Local Michael Smith, 57, who works as a cab driver, said that over the last week he had had five migrants asking to be dropped off on Mount Street in Dublin.
He told The Times: 'It's got ridiculous.
'You might've been lucky if you got one a month last year. They don't speak great English, but they say it's because of Rwanda.'
Colin Large, 60, a coach driver, has also noticed an increase in migrant passengers.
He said it had escalated from the 'odd few' to 'at least four or five' on each coach from the airport to city centre.
Dozens of migrants are fleeing across the Irish Sea every day and setting up camp in the Irish capital amid an ongoing row with the British government over immigration
Hundreds had been sleeping rough beside Dublin's International Protection Office, which had no toilets or washing facilities
Pictured: Obeda Gaza who has been living in a tent in Dublin
How Operation Rwanda will work. This graphic shows the seven immigration removal centres where migrants will be held before they're put on a plane bound for the African country, with the first flights earmarked to take place in July
After the 'migrant shanty town' was taken down on Wednesday, the migrants were brought to Dublin's Citywest hotel and a site in Crooksling with proper toilets and sanitation facilities.
In a statement, the Irish Government said that the people seeking international protection had been moved safely to the two sites.
However, Luke Morrissey, the manager of a bar near where they are housing migrants said he fears they are bringing the house prices down.
He claimed that sometimes they 'harass women' or 'urinate in the street'.
Around 1,700 asylum seekers are believed to be living on the streets in Ireland after crossing the border from Northern Ireland, with some expressing their fear that they could be sent to Rwanda by the UK government if they had stayed.
People stand by rows of tents, near the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin on April 30, 2024
Refugees and asylum seekers are being moved to International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)-designated accommodation
People seeking international protection were moved from outside the International Protection Office on Mount Street this morning
Workers hose down the street where migrants were camping in Dublin
Tents cluster near Dublin's Office of International Protection, serving as temporary homes for asylum seekers
Migrants board a small boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel, on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk, northern France on April 26
The Republic has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to pass new laws to facilitate returns of migrants, after the country's courts declared the UK cannot be classed as 'safe' due to the pact with the African state.
However, Rishi Sunak declared earlier this week that he is 'not interested' in taking back migrants from Ireland given that the EU refuses to take back Channel migrants who arrived from France.
It comes as migrants who were living in the now dismantled Dublin tent city thanked the Prime Minister for refusing to allow them back to Britain - because they 'don't want to go to Rwanda'.
Abdul, a 24-year-old who spent seven months to get from Afghanistan to Northern Ireland, said it was 'not fair' that he was forced to travel down to Dublin to avoid being sent to Rwanda.
The married father-of-two told MailOnline: 'There is a word - humanity. Everyone needs to be a human, we are humans. We have a problem in our country. I got here today from Northern Ireland.'
When asked why he had come down to Ireland, he said: 'Rwanda - I think this is not good. Our country we are in the bull****- they are trying to apply their policies and rule on us.
Members of the Irish Police (Garda) stand guard as a coach carrying migrants leaves Mount Street
Otumba, a Nigerian man who made his way to Dublin from Belfast, told MailOnline: 'Rwanda is not an option. It is not safe. Africa is like a volcano that can erupt at any time'
Protesters take part in the Ireland Says No anti-refugee gathering outside The Custom House in Dublin, March 22, 2024
'We also want to have a normal life, get education or get medical facilities and all these things.
'This is the reason - everyone knows about Rwanda. The corruption and the situation in Rwanda - it is a very backward country. There are no facilities.
'Their people are also crying. We feel better here.'
Meanwhile, a Nigerian migrant named Otumba told MailOnline he'd decided to make his way to Dublin from Belfast because he knew what was going to happen.
'I came into the UK. I wanted to seek asylum. Then five weeks ago we heard that the Rwanda Bill is going to be passed, and we don't want to go back to Africa.
'(Rwanda) is not an option. It is not safe. Africa is like a volcano that can erupt at any time.
'We decided to go to Ireland on information that Ireland is safer and more accommodating. We had an idea about what was going to happen, so you don't take chances.'
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