Land of Milk and Honey
A banter-full budget released, with minimal investment in infrastructure and transit, talk less of housing. A capital city as walkable and pedestrian friendly as a round of Total Wipeout. Just about 5 million of yous here, so where exactly is all that money going.
What is the point of delaying the process of giving people PPS numbers Ireland? It’s not a passport. It’s not going to get me through Immigration any quicker on my way to me holidees. What it will do however, is stop me from opening an Irish bank account, from having a flu vaccine record and of course, applying for social welfare and government schemes in general. It even stopped me from choosing which COVID vaccine got put in *my* arm, because, suspiciously, they don’t ask you which of the vaccines you’d prefer when you have to register over the phone.. just online.. where you can only register with a… wait for it... a PPS number.
Its truly bizarre behaviour for a country that should be wising up post-Brexit as the only (majority) English speaking country in the EU. Ireland should be looking at it’s fascist neighbours in disgust - and making every effort to be the opposite of them in every way. And yet, here you are, restricting free movement for vibes and vibes alone. A town masquerading as a country if you’d ask me (and literally anyone coming from anywhere else in Europe). Truly.
A banter-full budget released, with minimal investment in infrastructure and transit, talk less of housing. A capital city as walkable and pedestrian friendly as a round of Total Wipeout. Just about 5 million of yous here, so where exactly is all that money going. Speaking of the 5 million that’s here, o ga o, natives are ****and HAVE BEEN FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS**** leaving here at such a rate that people with wombs outnumber those without, and Ireland (well an Irish Times article if I recall correctly) are blaming it on the former becoming educated. We’re-Progressive-Because-We-Had-A-Biracial-Gay-Man-As-Leader FC in the mud.
Alas, we immigrants wait patiently for your permission to function as half a citizen in this farmers backyard. And it sounds harsh, it really does, but this carrying of shoulder Ireland does and has been doing is giving me second hand embarrassment; even primary embarrassment because I have indeed chosen this place as my home. Or, at least I’m trying to. È pèlè, land of with milk and honey.
I honestly can’t imagine what people with non-EEA passports are facing, let alone refugees and asylum seekers. Absolutely abysmal behaviour.
Speaking of which, end Direct Provision. Immediately. More on THAT, to come.
Alt-text: A visually impaired Black woman uses an accessible navigation app on her phone, which vibrates as she reaches her airport terminal. The woman wears glasses and pulls a suitcase with her right hand. She is following a path paved with tactile tiles. In the background, a customer service person sits at the terminal kiosk and an airplane apron is visible through large windows.