Woman who led protests at Ballinrobe hotel runs in European elections

A WOMAN who led protests against the accommodation of 50 male asylum seekers in a Ballinrobe hotel has said she will win a seat in the upcoming European elections.

Michelle Smith, who lives in The Neale, has announced that she is running as an Independent candidate for the European Parliament.

Ms Smith spoke at a demonstration at JJ Gannon’s Hotel in Ballinrobe last January after plans to accommodate 50 male asylum seekers there were announced.

The protests were subsequently disbanded when she told protesters to ‘go home’ after it was announced that the hotel would instead accommodate asylum-seeking families.

Citing her large following on TikTok, Ms Smith told The Mayo News that she has gained ‘huge support’ from the public since she announced her candidacy.

“I don’t have 44 million views for nothing. So not only am I in with a fighting chance, I’ll take a seat,” she said.

Migration issue

Ms Smith has expressed concern about the large number of young people leaving the country due to a lack of affordable housing which, she claimed, is being exacerbated by the scale of migration into the country.

“I have parents contacting me saying they have just waved off their last child because they don’t want to be living at home for the rest of their lives,” she said.

If elected, Ms Smith said she would oppose the proposed EU Migration Pact, which would overhaul European migration law if passed.

“How are they going to manage to house everybody when they cannot house the Irish people and the people who are here, with all the nationalities, working for years?” said Ms Smith, who works as an accountant.

“What I want to do is go over to the European Union and create a new, different type of politics and a new way of asking people and communicating with people and voicing to people what’s going on.”

Swipe at Sinn Féin

Ms Smith, who is originally from Armagh but has lived in Mayo for over 20 years, is a former member of Sinn Féin.

When asked about her association with the party, Ms Smith said: “I have not been an active member of Sinn Féin for a very long time. I’d say I went to a meeting way before Covid.”

She then attacked her former party, stating: “Where are their TDs when they are called upon? … They are not sleeping out with people in their communities and fighting.

“Sinn Féin in my opinion – and you can put this on record – sold their souls,” added Ms Smith, who also criticised the party for voting in favour of the Government’s proposed Hate Speech legislation and for its support for the recently-defeated Family referendum.

“They are going out voting ‘yes’ for a Hate Speech bill and ‘yes’ to remove the word mother from the constitution, and then the moment it’s a ‘no’ vote, a resounding ‘no’ vote, they are completely doing a backpedal on it and lying to the people saying, ‘We got this wrong’,” she said.

Farming

MS Smith also accused Fine Gael of voting ‘against the farmers’ by voting for the EU Nature Restoration Law.

“I have zero farmers on my books that are making profit in this area. They are going out and they are working 40-hour weeks and then working on their farms, to supplement their farm,” she said.

Although running as an Independent, Ms Smith said she will work with MEPs from all parties on various issues if elected. 

“I have no problem working with people. Independent Ireland are great, they are fantastic, and they have my full backing. Anyone who is willing to speak up, I will work with them. I am not going out against anybody,” she said.

The other Mayo candidates running in the Ireland Midlands–North-West constituency are  Saoirse McHugh (Independent), Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fáil) and Maria Walsh (Fine Gael).

Sitting MEP Chris McManus and MP Michelle Gildernew will stand for Sinn Féin in the constituency.