The government and the media constantly talk about how much refugees are costing us. Processing asylum claims will cost 'hundreds of thousands' and social welfare costs will run into the millions.
Refugees are obviously just spongers who have come here to live of our taxes.
But nothing could be further from the truth. Immigrants come here because they have no choice - they have been driven from their countries by wars, torture and poverty, and they come to Ireland to make a fresh start. And like the Irish who emigrated to America, Australia, and all over the world, they are willing to work to help make themselves a new home. They do not live off social welfare by choice - the government forces them into it. Applications for asylum can take up to three years to process.