Áine Ní Chonaill

Áine Ní Chonaill is a spokesperson for Irish anti mass-immigration group "Immigration Control Platform" who refuses to disclose ICP membership figures but other than claiming she speaks on behalf of "the silent majority" who "wish to keep Ireland Irish".

Biography

Ni Chonaill is a school teacher in County Cork but for the last decade or more she has been PRO for ICP. Her political background is largely unknown but she was involved in the early days of the Progressive Democrats. Aine Ni Chonaill said she started her campaign because she was concerned about the numbers of immigrants arriving in Ireland and about asylum abuse.

The Organisation

ICP models itself on groups like Migration Watch UK and propagates a remarkably similar message to that group. Therefore ICP emphasises the following contentious perspectives:- Excessive Immigration is not beneficial for Ireland- In many cases immigrants are abusing the Asylum and Student Visa systems to gain entry to Ireland- No consultation about Immigration has ever occurred- Ireland is a "soft-touch" for immigrants- Ireland accepts a disproportionate amount of immigrants

Elections

In the 1997 General Election Ní Chonaill she stood in her native Cork South West constituency and got just 293 votes. This was followed up Dublin South Central constituency where it was hoped visibly larger concentrations of migrants in City Housing or cheaper rental accommodation would excite a bigger local reaction. She received only 926 votes. It was felt by political commentators at the time that an Anti-Racist charter signed by all parties and election candidates prevented Race from becoming a real political issue for the Irish electorate (one Fianna Fáil non signatory - Noel O'Flynn also in Cork also attracted controversy). In 2007 the ICP ran candidates in three areas with relatively high levels of immigration. These are Cork South Central, Dublin North, and Dublin Central. All 3 candidates lost their deposits.

The electoral strategy involves:-

1. Standing direct candidates in elections in constituencies where there are few other small/independent candidates. These constituencies are carefully chosen as they have relatively high immigrant populations. 2. Call on the public to show their disapproval at the polls of candidates who have taken a stance on asylum / immigration which disagrees with ICP, especially if that candidate has had some Ministerial responsibility for Asylum or Immigration. This was done in the case of Liz O’Donnell, TD in Dublin South who argued for more humane immigration policy while serving as a junior Minister.

3. Highlighting perceived "soft-touch" policies on asylum / immigration in other mainstream parties. For example ICP views Sinn Féin to have a policy akin to “The more the merrier”. The strategy is to whip up working class voters who are "likely to bear the heaviest burden"

Accusations of Racism

Many media commentators believe that there is a sinister message in the ICP perspective which is merely thinly disguised Racism. Ní Chonaill has vehemently denied this. She argues that demanding discussion about appropriate levels of immigration and urging more deportations does not constitute racism.

ICP election literature urges people to go into their town centre, have a look around and asks: "Is this what you want for the future? This was forced on us in less than four years and this is just the start."

Links

*http://www.immigrationcontrol.org/