Government failing to counter misinformation on migration

• Bacik calls for public campaign, Minister fails to commit

Labour Leader Ivana Bacik TD has called on Government to urgently launch a national public information campaign on migration, following exchanges in the Dáil today where the Minister for Justice failed to commit to deliver on a Programme for Government pledge to promote accurate information on migration.

Deputy Bacik said:

“Families, workers and communities across Ireland benefit every day from the contribution of migrants, yet we are seeing a growing climate where misinformation and hostility are allowed to take hold. People working in our hospitals, caring for our loved ones, running businesses, and supporting local communities are being subjected to narratives that question their place in our society. That is deeply damaging, not just for those individuals, but for the cohesion of our communities as a whole.

“This Government has failed to provide the leadership needed to challenge these narratives. Instead of setting out clear, fact-based information about migration, we have seen myths and misinformation go largely unchallenged, alongside increasingly hostile language that risks legitimising division. Reports of an immigration strategy framed primarily around what is ‘to the benefit of Irish people’ reflect an approach that is narrow and inadequate, and which risks othering those who have made their lives here.

“In the Dáil today, the Minister for Justice once again failed to engage with this issue in any meaningful way. His response was deeply disingenuous, as he avoided answering whether the Government will deliver the public information campaign it committed to in the Programme for Government. That commitment was clear, yet there is still no evidence of delivery.

“This lack of action stands in stark contrast to the reality of modern Ireland. Key sectors of our economy and public services, including healthcare, hospitality and retail, rely on the skills and dedication of people who have come here from other countries. Labour’s ‘Together We Thrive’ campaign highlights this reality through real stories — from a restauranteur in Dublin, to a volunteer in Sligo, to a teacher in Cork — all of whom demonstrate the positive and lasting contribution migrants make to our society.

“Labour is calling on Government to immediately launch a national, fact-based public information campaign on migration, grounded in real experiences and accurate data, and to clearly challenge the misinformation being spread by far-right actors. Ireland’s history as a nation of emigrants should inform a more balanced, humane and evidence-based approach. Communities deserve clarity, and migrants deserve recognition and respect. Government must act now.”

More about Labour’s Together We Thrive campaign here: https://labour.ie/together-we-thrive/