AN IRISH POLITICAL organisation calling for stricter border controls says it will work with “patriotic movements” across Europe to oppose mass immigration.

The head of Identity Ireland, a right-wing group launched in Dublin last July, was cheered by demonstrators in the German city of Dresden on Monday as he addressed a rally held by the country’s anti-Islam Pegida movement.

Peter O’Loughlin, a failed candidate in the 2014 European Parliament elections, said in his speech that German and Irish people should unite to fight the resettlement of migrants arriving in Europe.

“Our future depends on the united strength of reasonable, rational and emphatic European people,” he said.

From Stockholm to Athens, from Cork to Krakow, we must act together because the forces allayed against us are so powerful.

“For those of us who take our responsibilities seriously and speak out against the criminal neglect of our leaders,” O’Loughlin added, “what happens?”

They release the hounds. The cultural Marxist hounds and media hounds [call us] racist, fascist, Islamophobic, blah blah blah.

The secretary of the organisation, Gary Allen, said in a statement that the address represented “a good step forward for us and our members”.

“It’s a strong start to the year and we’re going to build on it significantly,” he said.

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Pegida, short for Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident, hold anti-refugee demonstrations in Dresden every Monday.

Earlier this week, it launched a British branch headed up by former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson.

The launch of Identity Ireland – which favours EU withdrawal, a return to the punt and an end to mass immigration – was disrupted by anti-racism protesters last year.

O’Loughlin told TheJournal.ie at the event that the group intends to contest general election seats in areas like Cork and Dublin, where he said its support is strongest.