Why an Irish women’s group is now focused on immigration

Women’s Coalition on Immigration claims a link between sexual violence and migration

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Laoise De Brun of Women's Coalition on Immigration. Photograph: Alan Betson
Laoise De Brun of Women's Coalition on Immigration. Photograph: Alan Betson

The newly formed Women’s Coalition on Immigration is calling on the Government to publish crime statistics broken down by country of offenders’ origin and ethnicity.

It argues – without supporting evidence – that there is a link between the increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against women in Ireland and immigration.

The coalition was established in December by The Countess, a campaigning group led by barrister Laoise de Brún. It was initially set up in 2020 to campaign against “gender identity politics”.

But why has it pivoted from trans issues to immigration? What data has it put forward to support its claims? And who are the political representatives giving this small anti-immigration group their support?

Irish Times political correspondent Ellen Coyne explains.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison is an Irish Times journalist and cohost of In the News podcast

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