Ireland is facing an age-old political question that we’re normally on the other side of: what can we do about immigration? Being a historically poor country due to the effects of colonisation at the hands of the British Empire, Ireland has sent out many, many more emigrants across the globe than we’ve ever taken in immigrants.

Yet, times have changed, and thanks to Ireland’s improved relationship with global trade and our membership with the European Union, granting access to free trade and freedom of movement, Ireland has become a prosperous, stable nation with much to offer. As our economy has grown, so has the number of people attracted to our shores to avail of our thriving economy, our proximity to Europe, and, in many instances, simply the safety of a stable nation.

This is a story you might imagine the Irish people would understand and sympathise with given the 1 million Irish people who fled hunger and evictions for a better life abroad over just four years during the Famine, and many millions more after that. Unfortunately, some here seem to have short memories. That brings us to where we are today: a rise of anti-immigrant sentiment, resulting in more than just talk. In 2022, there were a shocking 307 anti-immigrant protests—more than we’ve ever seen before.

This makes for a concerning pattern. The protests aren’t anything we haven’t heard before; signs brandishing slogans such as “Ireland is Full," “Women don’t feel safe anymore," and “Enough is enough” are reminiscent of similar protests across Europe, ones that would have even referred to Irish people abroad within living memory. Yet, these protests forget the truth that we have benefitted from for a long time: immigration is a net good for the countries that experience it.

It is not just protests. Across Ireland, and indeed across the West, there seems to be a growing hostility towards immigrants and immigration. It is a key pillar of the populist brand of politics, which has come to dominate a large number of political discourses in recent years. Politicians and anti-immigration campaigners seem happy to whip up fury and frustration, casting immigration as a convenient bogeyman for various political and economic ills.

Ireland is facing a series of concerning problems for our future: a declining birth rate and subsequent uncertainty around public pensions, worsening depopulation in rural areas, and a shortage of people to fill a litany of roles across the country, from IT positions to trade work. Immigration is a path forward on all of these issues.

Immigration represents an opportunity for Ireland to continue to grow at rates unseen within the European Union. Furthermore, the fears surrounding crime and safety propagated by these protesters are rooted in nothing but myth and hatred. Immigrants are actually underrepresented in the Irish prison population compared to their population size in the country.

Despite the lack of validity of these claims, those in power seem to be taking note. Speaking in Brussels, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the state’s policy on migration should be “fair, firm, and hard,” which has been perceived as a toughening of Ireland’s immigration policy. Also taking note? Immigrants are already in Ireland.

Many have spoken out in fear that the rising anti-immigrant sentiment across the country is going to result in violence; indeed, countless Brazilian gig workers have reported that certain areas of Dublin where the protests are at their strongest are “no-go” areas due to the racist targeting they face.

It’s time for those of us who don’t agree with this narrative to start using our voices to push back against those who claim they speak for “90% of the country." Let’s remember our history and continue to work to build an Ireland that embraces immigrants, as we have been embraced across the globe.

This article was written by Juliette Barnes. Juliette is a young Irish activist and a writing fellow with Young Voices Europe.