Seamus Treanor is calling for a referendum on immigration. The veteran Monaghan County Councillor has been an outspoken critic of the government's immigration policy saying it's not fit for purpose. During a heated discussion on the Joe Finnegan Show this morning, Cllr Treanor said he wants the government to re-visit the country's policy and put it to the people to decide what they want going forward.
The independent councillor said when he campaigned for a no / no vote in the recent family and carer's referendum against a backdrop of widespread support for yes / yes, his case won out because he and others like him gave people all the facts. The government got a "bloody nose" over that referendum, Cllr Treanor said, something it would want to avoid again but, in his experience the public is made up of largely reasonable people and as such, should be given input on the issue:
"Earlier this year, our government surrendered our opt-out of the migration pact without consulting the public," Cllr Treanor told Northern Sound, "The opt-out was hard won at the time of the Lisbon Treaty but, our government have since decided otherwise and the public are not going to get a say on it." As to the wording of the proposed referendum, Seamus Treanor, said it should read 'Do you want uncontrolled migration into this country to continue or do you want it stopped/' "If you go out and put your hands cards on the table people are very reasonable when they hear a proper argument but, unfortunately we're not getting a proper argument," he said.
