THE TOPIC OF immigration to Ireland has been in the news a lot recently for a number of reasons.

Immigration has grown in Ireland over the past year, which has been putting the system used for those seeking refuge under increasing pressure. This pressure is primarily due to the invasion of Ukraine, which has seen thousands flee to safety in other countries. Last year, we also saw a record number of people seeking asylum from other countries too, which is possibly due to the Covid travel restrictions being lifted.

That pressure has had an impact on the people coming to Ireland seeking safety - in recent weeks the government temporarily closed accommodation the CityWest refugee centre. That led to people having to sleep rough in the city as a result. 

On this week’s The Explainer podcast, we’re looking at the immigration system itself – how it works, who it seeks to help and what the challenges are right now. To explain it all, presenter Laura Byrne is joined by Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/how-does-irelands-immigration-system-work/s-L9tgkBVwEg3?si=12684180edd84c3aa28931a172700cea&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

This episode was put together by presenter Laura Byrne, producers Aoife Barry and Nicky Ryan and executive producer Sinéad O’Carroll.