Euro election candidate claims Irish people could be minority within 10 years

INDEPENDENT candidate for the European Parliament John Waters fears the Irish could become a minority in their own country because of immigration.

Speaking to the Tullamore Tribune the Roscommon man, a former journalist with the Irish Times and Hot Press, said what is now happening “is probably the greatest disaster that has ever happened Ireland.”

Because of immigration, Ireland had by far the greatest population growth in Europe between 1997 and 2023 and he cited one analyst who predicted that the “Irish” would be outnumbered within 10 years.

“ and the right to the security of their children's rights going forward. And they've a right to believe their children have a hope of having a place in the world to lay their head and lie down,” said Mr Waters.

He said hundreds of thousands of people were being “dumped” on small communities in Ireland without being vetted.

When it was put to him that people seeking international protection are interviewed, fingerprinted and photographed, he said the majority of those arriving have been advised and told “to throw their papers away”.

“The majority of them have no papers whatsoever and they're coming down here over the border from England, they're coming in everywhere, every way they can and they're being allowed to come in and they're not being dealt with under the law on any basis whatsoever.”

He claimed the border was no longer being enforced and said he was aware of instances where the Irish Government refused to send people back to countries which were willing to accept their return.

The candidate referred to the process of attaining Irish citizenship as “another racket”.

“One time you became a citizen of a country or you were absorbed into a country like Ireland, which is an ancient culture and a cohesive culture, by integrating yourself, by coming and showing reverence and respect for the culture and showing a willingness to join it and being accepted in time. That happened, time and time again.”

Because so many immigrants will not integrate and will become a majority, “We'll be the ones who will be required to integrate”.

Mr Waters said the Irish media was no longer doing its job and he added: “I find the modern contemporary politics deeply dismaying and worrying in the context of the power that outside influences seem to have over it. It has completely lost contact with its people and it's treating the people with total disrespect, I think at the risk of the terminal destruction of our country.”

He does not accept opinion polls which suggest he had no chance of winning a seat in the Midlands North West constituency and said there is currently a “flux” among voters similar to the run-up to the two recent referendums.

In as much as opinion polls can be relied on, he said he is aware of a private poll which suggests that Barry Cowen (Fianna Fail), Maria Walsh (Fine Gael), Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (Independent) and Chris McManus (Sinn Fein) will win four of the five seats, with Ciaran Mullooly (Independent Ireland) in contention for the fifth, followed by himself and Peadar Toibin of Aontu.

“I'm running neck and neck with Peadar Toibin, at sixth and seventh place, I'm just outside the zone,” said Mr Waters.

“I would say there's a possibility of a surprise there and it may well be me.”