Whether in France, Germany, Spain or Britain, the issue of uncontrolled immigration is contributing in a significant way to European political instability. Few people have a problem with controlled or legal migration based on permission granted by the host state through visas and work permits, or as permitted under EU law for migrant workers who are EU citizens.

In Ireland’s case, most people recognise that in many sectors of the economy we need legal migration to sustain our economic growth. The controversy here centres, as elsewhere, on uninvited economic migrants: those who are not fleeing persecution but are using asylum and international protection claims to enter the country and demand to be housed and provided for, with hopes of eventual family reunification rights, on the bogus basis of fear of state persecution in their countries of origin.

The concerns of ordinary voters with this form of migration posing as asylum-seeking are totally legitimate. The cost to us of allowing it to continue has run to billions of euro. It is, in my view, undeniably a significant part of the housing shortage with which the current coalition is struggling.

Migration is also a factor in the rapid growth in support for the AfD party in Germany. The party appears to be close to political control of Saxony-Anhalt, one of Germany’s smaller........

© The Irish Times