FAKE news and rumours pose a huge threat to the stability of communities hosting those fleeing Ukraine and other war-torn regions, a number of Clare councillors have warned.
The issue of far right propaganda and its impact on communities accommodating refugees and asylum seekers was raised by North Clare’s Councillor Joe Garrihy during a discussion of supports for rural Ireland.
The Lisdoonvarna man described as “very worrying” the gap between communities on the ground who are the “frontline”, and the supports being provided by government. The Fine Gael member described the impact of the pandemic as “seismic” and that communities were now being called on in another crisis situation.
“Now, we’re affected and responding to the largest humanitarian response that the country has ever seen in the history of the State,” he said.
He added that while all of the community development guidelines advised working from the ground up, this was a challenge in the current situation. “Through the humanitarian response to the war, we’re depending on people on the frontline,” he said.
“We’re depending on local communities, volunteers, local groups and clubs. I see an awful lot of threats. We see what’s happening worldwide, with the impact of the far right, and the impact of disinformation, the impact of social media and the spreading of false news or false threats. I see that affecting other parts of our country.”
Councillor Garrihy commended the Council’s Director of Service for the Ukrainian Services Development Directorate Jason Murphy. “There is exceptional work being done by agencies and at agency level in response to this crisis, as was done through Covid,” he said.
“I think that’s important to acknowledge. I also see a massive gap between that and local communities that are dealing with this on a daily basis.”
Those views were supported by Councillor Johnny Flynn, who noted the massive response of North Clare to the humanitarian crisis.
“It’s extraordinary to think that 100,000 people have come to this country in the last year through work visas, international refugees and displaced Ukrainians,” he said. “I think the biggest single threat to the communities that are impacted by Covid and the war in Ukraine, the appalling war, is the threat to community spirit.”
The Ennis man said more needs to be done to support communities and prevent the spread of disinformation.
“I think we have to get closer to the host communities to support them,” he said, “so that disinformation from the far right, doesn’t disturb the communities that have been so welcoming. We’ve seen what has happened elsewhere in Ireland, where there has been disinformation and organised fake news and rumour spreading. I don’t want to see that undermine the welcome of the Clare people.”
Councillor Pat McMahon paid tribute to the many community groups who are “making life more positive for those people who have come from a horrible monstrous attack on our country”.
He said it was important to learn from lessons of the past. “There’s one thing that remains with me, and it leaves a huge mark,” he said.
“In the Second World War, we were neutral of course, but we refused Jews into this country. And it has been proven afterwards that some of those Jews ended up in Auschwitz. And by God, as long as I’m in local government, we want to be aware of the wider implications of refusing people and forcing them back into some horrible situation.”