A week following the election of three individuals known for their anti-immigrant stance into the Dublin City Council, the constituents of Finglas, a community home to one of them, Gavin Pepper – an Independent and one of the most assertive among them – only sporadically bring up the topic of immigration.
Gavin Pepper, a local taxi driver and father to six children, has sparked mixed reactions from the locals of Dublin’s northern village main street. Some are unfamiliar with him, whilst others who recognise him express dissatisfaction with his election victory. This man, branded as a “far-right activist” by Paul Murphy, a TD (Teachta Dála, or member of the Irish Parliament) from the People Before Profit party, is known to hold an uncompromising view on immigration, a belief he affirmatively displays across his social media platforms – a label that Pepper himself disowns. He was able to secure the second position in the Ballymun-Finglas local electoral race among five contenders.
John Smullen, a local resident, accuses Pepper’s win of tarnishing the region’s image while on his way into a supermarket. He believes Pepper’s victory reflects prevalent resentment and fear; however, he criticises the notion that immigrants should be blamed for ongoing issues. Instead, he suggests tackling the underlying fear that fuels such sentiments.
In contrast, Joe Carroll, who cast his vote for Fine Gael, highlights that issues surrounding criminal activity were his main concern when voting. He further questions the validity of voter animosity, asserting that he is satisfied with his life, which includes four children. Although he acknowledges the importance of migration into the country, he fails to recognise any major crises.
Another local, a man in his 40s declined to vote for Pepper, expressing frustration at anti-immigration policies.
But, it’s worth noting that these views are most echoed to the east of Finglas, the busier, wealthier part of the north Dublin suburb. Finglas, with a sizeable and socially varied population, akin to Navan in Co Meath, endures areas of both affluence and widespread deprivation, particularly in the west of the region.
The area where councillor Pepper resides, known for receiving a majority of his 1,126 first preference votes, is distinguished by widespread disadvantage according to an analysis of 2022 Census data by Pobal, an independent agency. Here, male unemployment hits a high at 32 per cent. Female unemployment is at 25 per cent, with only 7.3 per cent of the population having a third-level education and 41 per cent having no more than a primary-school education.
Councillor Pepper is fairly popular in the area, with immigration issues often being discussed in relation to broader problems. One resident, a single mother of four voiced her first preference vote went to Gavin Pepper with her second going to Stephen Redmond, a local fellow. Pepper’s election win, owes much to Redmond’s transfers from the National Party.
Living in fear due to crime, the mother doesn’t allow her 18-year-old to wander into town, wary of “unvetted men” taking shelter by the canal. She also laments the difference in treatment for local homeless people compared to others, referring to the sight of Irish homeless individuals on the streets while others are staying in hotels, which she believes inflames public anger.
She describes her neighbourhood as a plagued by antisocial behaviour, referring to it as a “hellhole” and is concerned about the drug problem prevalent in her community. Ciara, another single mother, who has three kids, including a special needs child, supports Pepper, Redman as well as Leon Bradley, another independent candidate. In her view, these local figures live up to their commitments.
Around the local green, in front of the shops, several council houses lay empty and derelict. One such house, despite being in a significant state of decay with rotting windows, a broken window, dampness on walls and gutters sprouting tall grass, seems to be occupied. Discarded rubbish such as food packaging, clothing, beverage cans and tablet blister packs are scattered across the overgrown green.
Pepper chose not to provide an interview for this piece. After his election win, he briefly spoke with Gript, an online news platform, discussing immigration various times whilst focusing more on his aspirations to champion his community’s needs.
Pepper stated his desire for local amenities such as a boxing club, and expressed frustration that the community has been kept waiting for such amenities for years. He raised issues such as neglected housing needs, seniors requiring care, the need for increased community services and the disrepair of local roads. He also pointed out the lack of summer camps and said, “My community is in a state of chaos.”
He went on, “There are good aspects to my community, but it’s been disregarded by the Government for too long. They ignore blue-collar communities. I want resources for our area’s children.” He highlighted the problem of nitrous oxide misuse, calling for age restrictions on its sale.
He criticised the Government and “the establishment” for their neglect of underserved communities. “When people like myself speak out against it, they label us ‘far right’, ‘fascist’, and other derogatory terms that don’t accurately describe a working class family person like me.”
He mentioned data released by the Housing Department on the day of the elections. The data showed that over 14,000 people, including over 4,000 children, were placed in emergency accommodation for the first time. This did not include those sleeping rough, such as those in tents near a bustling intersection roughly a kilometre from west Finglas.
He commented on the homelessness issue, stating that it’s an escalating problem that the Government ignores. He also controversially claimed that the issue is exacerbated by an influx of illegal immigrants.
While the veracity of his latter claim is disputed, the perception of his community’s abandonment is shared by others. Cian McKenna, a youth worker at the Finglas Youth Resource Centre, noted that the centre worked with over 640 children and teenagers last year. Their families experienced considerable hardship, including domestic and gang violence, addiction, a high risk of gang recruitment, low educational performance, suicide, and an overwhelming sense of being disregarded.
Despite facing dire financial limitations, the centre strives to offer assistance to young individuals, many times embroiled in severe predicaments. Not long ago, a young gentleman in his twenties came in seeking help. He is the one and only caregiver to his sibling who is still in primary school. “He ran out of electricity as well as food,” Mr. McKenna narrates. “We managed to provide him with some breakfast cereals from our storage and a bit of money to cover his electricity needs.
“One disheartening perception is that many working-class societies akin to Finglas are perceived as prejudiced or retrogressive, which is not true in my opinion. These communities are filled with affection and they spread it generously. It is true that there’s been an increase in the number of votes for so-called ‘extreme right’ parties. However, this is no evidence to confirm that these villages want to exile everyone or are becoming radicalised. They rather feel neglected, overlooked and they strongly desire to express their concerns.
“They’re of the view that the social pact does not favour them. They strongly believe that their rights per the pact have been disregarded.”