Immigration

Immigration

Scale of immigration

Copyright © 2003, The Irish Times
reprinted by permission

A remarkable social change has been going on in Ireland since the mid-1990s, as the country has changed from an emigrating society into one of the most immigrating ones in the world. Up to 200,000 foreign immigrants have come here since 1996, comprising five per cent of the population (only a minority of whom are asylum-seekers). On the same speed and scale the United States, which currently receives 700,000 immigrants a year, would be taking over three million people annually. Only Luxembourg has a higher rate within the European Union.

These figures are taken from the study, Labour Migration into Ireland, published by the Immigrant Council of Ireland this week. It is an excellent document, combining basic demographic and statistical research with well-judged recommendations on employment permits, working conditions, family reunification and how best to integrate migrant workers into this society. It helps greatly in considering Ireland's response to this social change to understand the comparative speed and scale involved.

It is even more important to understand, as this report argues, that this is an irreversible change, requiring radical legal, cultural and economic adaptation, rather than a temporary and pragmatic response to labour market conditions. Ireland's economy and society have shifted gear under the influence of globalisation and new industrial and employment structures, creating an abiding demand for migrant workers prepared to do jobs and provide services no longer sought by Irish citizens. Therefore, immigration and its intercultural consequences will be with us for the foreseeable future, necessitating that legislation and policy should be framed to regulate them more effectively and justly.

This report addresses these requirements comprehensively in its recommendations. They call for a more strategic and long-term approach to immigration and integration policy, which has so far been driven by ad hoc market-based priorities and tilted very much towards employer interest, not those of the migrant workers. There should be a right of residency after four years' employment, an entitlement to family reunification and a clampdown on unscrupulous employment and educational agencies. Tackling racism and discrimination should be given a much higher priority. Ireland should ratify the United Nations Convention on Migrant Workers. And a "European-only" policy arising from EU enlargement should be resisted.

These are sound recommendations which deserve to be implemented.

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