‘Most residents are tolerant to migrant candidates’ says Cllr

In the recent report ‘Strength in Diversity II’ released last week, The Immigrant Council of Ireland showed how one in three candidates coming from a migrant background experienced racism frequently during their campaign for the local elections in 2024.

Fianna Fáil’s Cllr John-Kingsley Onwumereh told The Irish Catholic he experienced racism mainly on social media. However, the councillor had a positive outcome from his experience with the local elections, as many of the people he met were welcoming regardless of his nationality.

He said: “I also need to mention something that I’m happy about, that as much as we have a few individuals who display this unacceptable racist behaviour, I know the majority of residents are very nice and very tolerant and welcoming and actually very appreciative of the role local councillors play irrespective of their ethnic background…irrespective of their religious background.”

Living in Ireland for over 20 years, Mr Onwumereh was elected for the first time in 2019 for the Mulhuddart-Blanchardstown Local Electoral Area on the Fingal County Council and re-elected in 2024. He is a knight of St Columbanus, the Chairperson of the African Chaplaincy, Archdiocese of Dublin and Deputy Mayor of Fingal.

The Councillor mentioned that during the last Council meeting of the Fingal County Council they “took a stand on anti-racism,” and that the County Council would not tolerate racism. It “is really heartwarming to see that the majority of residents and [the] majority of institutions and agencies within Ireland in general…are very supportive of everyone, regardless of their ethnic background or religious beliefs.”

For Mr Onwumereh, having diversity in government roles is important, as different people bring different experiences and views to their jobs, which “goes a long way in helping to ensure that everybody is properly represented.” “Inclusivity is really key when it comes to governance,” he said.

Many migrants are not aware they have the right to vote in local elections as long as they are living legally in the State. Mr Onwumereh believes that migrants should make sure they know all services eligible to them and that “political education should evolve in such a way that people who are living in the State also understand that [they are] eligible to participate in local elections.”