Sinn Féin integration spokesperson stands over deleted post about immigrants who commit crime

SINN FÉIN’S INTEGRATION spokesperson has stood over a deleted Facebook post in which she called for deportation to be considered for any immigrant who commits a crime.

Roscommon–Galway TD Claire Kerrane said it “should be on the table” but that it’s her personal view – she added that she’s “not pushing for it to become party policy” as Sinn Féin seeks to become a part of Government in the general election later this month.

“I think most people will say, if you come to Ireland and you commit a crime, then you should be sent home,” Kerrane told The Journal this evening. “That’s my own belief, but it’s a personal view I hold.”

Kerrane added tonight that she was not trying to “to conflate people coming to Ireland and crime” and that there is “no link” between the two.

Under current law, if the crime is serious or a violent crime, the person may be removed to their home Member State or deported to their country of origin. If a person has resided in Ireland for more than 10 years or is under the age of 18, a removal order can only be made on grounds of public security.

Asked what level of crime would be serious enough to warrant deportation, Kerrane said she was unsure at present.

While immigration policy is set by justice spokespeople, a political party’s integration chief is responsible for policy around supports and measures for international protection applicants and Ukrainian refugees.

Facebook post

She had included the stance in the comments beneath a Facebook post on her TD page, saying that “if you come to live in Ireland for whatever reason” and commit a crime, then deportation should be considered.

She was responding to one man who had claimed that Kerrane’s native town of Ballaghaderreen in Co Roscommon was no longer a “safe, quiet little village”.

The interaction happened last weekend amid a furore in the town over an alleged assault of a male youth.

It resulted in gardaí issuing a ‘misinformation notice’ amid claims about the nationality of those supposed to be involved. Despite some claims online, gardaí said the investigation “does not involve anyone seeking international protection” in Ireland.

Kerrane told The Journal today that she believed the man was referring to immigration in his post. In her reply to him she said:

“There was never fear in [Ballaghaderreen] when I was growing up and we’d be going out in it every weekend – never anything that led to widespread fear.”

Kerrane later added: “I also think we need to get tougher on crime – if you come to live in Ireland for whatever reason and you commit a crime, I think we should be looking at deportation more rather than free legal aid and prison, which some actually find quite comfortable.”

‘We have a responsibility as elected representatives’

Speaking to The Journal again this evening to clarify the remarks in her Facebook post, Kerrane said that she should have been clearer “not to conflate people coming to Ireland and crime”.

“There is no link. We have a responsibility as elected representatives and to be clearer,” Kerrane said.

“There’s been a lot of nasty comments about my hometown this week and I need to be more careful when online and replying to people who have an agenda I do not agree with and want no involvement in. Lesson learned.”

Kerrane later took the full post down from her Facebook page after “vile” messages were posted beneath.

“I knew what the man was saying in relation to his comments and I was responding to that. This isn’t party policy or something I’m pushing internally or anything else, and it’s not something that I’ve picked up from people and I’m reiterating it,” Kerrane said.

Kerrane said she wanted to stress that she was “not saying to deport everybody that commits a crime”.

“My point is, if you come to Ireland and you commit a crime, then I think deportation should be on the table,” she said.

She said she was not basing the position on what she thinks “people want to hear” and said that Ireland’s justice system “needs an overhaul”.

When asked whether it was accepting the arguments of far-right groups around the movement’s resistance to immigration, Kerrane said no. “It’s not a policy that I’m pushing into people’s faces and it’s not the party policy,” she said.

“What I am saying is, if you come to Ireland and you commit a crime, deportation should be part of that full fleet of jail, community service, whatever else. I’m not saying deport people for whatever crime they commit.”