The Integration Centre Releases

In celebration of International Refugee Day tomorrow (20/06/12) The Integration Centre has published Key Facts on Immigration and Diversity in Ireland.

Killian Forde, CEO of The Integration Centre, said “a number of myths prevail around immigrants, especially asylum seekers and refugees.

“Our strategy is to counteract negative attitudes through an accurate and clear portrayal of the Irish situation as it stands.

“This document explains who is in Ireland, why they are here and outlines a variety of characteristics such as educational attainment and employment status of immigrants.

“What becomes clear in looking through these statistics is that immigrants in Ireland are highly skilled, highly motivated individuals. That whilst 40% of immigrants lost their jobs in the recession in comparison to 10% of Irish people – the number of immigrants on the live register did not increase by anything close to this figure. It has in fact remained static at 18% for the last number of years.

“The myth that immigrants come into a country and steal jobs and go on welfare is exactly that – a myth.

“It also points to the future and whilst immigrant mothers have high aspirations for their children, the student’s command of English has a major impact on their performance, showing the need for language support.

“International Refugee Day is an important day in the calendar because it focuses on the many positives immigrants and refugees bring to a society.

“Cultural diversity is not just about different types of food and music. It encourages new and innovative ways of thinking. Something we need now more than ever. As this resource shows Ireland is now host to a large variety of language skills, which is not only a cultural asset to the country, but an economic one too.

“We call on the government to make a commitment to the 10,000 refugees and their families, 0.2% of the population, living in Ireland on International Refugee Day. That it will put policies in place which will enhance integration and encourage every member of Irish society to believe that once you have made Ireland your home, you will be included in both policy and practice put in place.

“We have a choice to make here in Ireland. Encourage people to reach their full potential or live in an unequal, divided society.


For further information please contact
Helena Clarke (Director of Public Affairs, TIC) on 01 645 3092 / 087-961 0897; 18 Dame Street Dublin 2, helena.clarke@integrationcentre.ie, www.integrationcentre.ie