Don't succumb to the narrative of fear: Priest hits out at growing opposition to asylum seekers
A Laois parish priest has hit out at the increasing opposition against asylum-seekers in Ireland.
Fr Paddy Byrne attended an event to welcome residents of a direct provision centre in Abbeyleix.
Plans for a similar centre in Oughterard, Co Galway, were abandoned after significant opposition.
Fr Byrne says he's concerned about the amount of people who object to asylum-seekers living in their areas.
"I am not going to buy into an identity of them and us. Together we are stronger.
"I do not want to buy into a mentality that is sweeping across western culture where we become more nationalistic. Like the 'Make Ireland Great Again' narrative that we hear in the US. That just leads to fear. It leads to walls."
