Labour’s Together We Thrive campaign takes on hate and misinformation

• Roundtable highlights exploitation and broken permit system
• Rising hate speech and abuse must be confronted

The Labour Party today hosted a Together We Thrive roundtable in Dublin, bringing together trade unions, civil society organisations and migrant advocates to address rising hate speech, systemic exploitation in the workplace and failures in Ireland’s work permit system. The event, chaired by Labour Leader Ivana Bacik TD, heard first-hand accounts of abuse, gaps in worker protections and the urgent need for a fair, fact-based national conversation on migration. Labour is calling on Government to lead a credible public information campaign and reform the permit system to protect workers and prevent exploitation.

Councillor Helen Ogbu spoke powerfully about her experience as a migrant and as a public representative, including the abuse she has faced while standing for election, and the urgent need for greater representation so that people can see themselves reflected in Irish public life. Phil Ní Sheaghdha of the INMO outlined how dependent our health system already is on migrant workers and how that reliance will only grow, while stressing that employers must recognise trade unions in private settings so workers can be properly protected.

We heard from Pierre Yimbog of Black and Irish about the need to confront the rise of far right narratives and to refuse the scapegoating of migrants. Siobhán Murphy of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland highlighted the stark reality of a two-tier work permit system, where 71 percent of migrant workers report exploitation, including excessive hours, harassment and denial of basic entitlements. That research shows systemic and widespread breaches of employment rights, and it is clear that workers must be allowed to change jobs more freely to escape abusive conditions.

Seyi Olapade from the Institute of Anti-Racism and Black Studies spoke about the importance of representation in politics and public life, reminding us that you cannot be what you cannot see. Brian Killoran of the Ukraine Forum emphasised that Ireland must remain a safe place for those seeking refuge and that division is being amplified online because it is  profitable, not because it reflects who we are as a society.

Deputy Bacik said:

“What we heard at today’s roundtable was clear and deeply concerning.There is a growing vacuum in leadership on migration, and that vacuum is being filled by misinformation and fear. We need a positive, fact-based discussion that reflects reality. Migrants are essential to our healthcare system, to our hospitality sector, to our economy and to our society. Migrants’ rights are workers’ rights, and we cannot continue to tolerate a system that allows exploitation to persist.

“That is why we launched the Together We Thrive campaign, to reset the public discourse by highlighting real-life experiences, recognising the contribution of migrants across society and calling for a more informed and inclusive national conversation.

“We need to re-centre humanity in how we talk about migration and how we shape policy. Government must step up, fix the broken permit system, protect workers from exploitation and lead a national campaign that tells the truth about migration. Labour will continue to drive this campaign in the weeks ahead because a fair, inclusive Ireland is not just possible, it is necessary.”