60 Comments

• MichaelMcGrath | Oct 16, 2012, 09:15 PM EDT

  14 per cent of workers in Ireland are unemployed, that is , about 450,000. Ireland is described as a Junk Economy by the international credit agencies such as Standard and Poors. Yesterday Jewish Justice Minister of Ireland Alan Shatter created his latest 2,300 new citizens of Ireland, last month his tally was 4,000 , he has created about 20,000 in all in a year:-) Maybe he knows something about economic recovery that nobody else knows?

• esatdigiwank | Oct 09, 2012, 06:18 AM EDT

  Eiramach: Unionize - lol! 800,000 mortgage suckers here. Never going to happen. All trade unions have been bought off besides.

• merefalow | Oct 08, 2012, 03:51 PM EDT

  MASS UNCONTROLLED IMIGRATION DESTROYS COUNTRIES,A TOOL FOR INDUSTRIALISTS TO PROVIDE A CHEAP LABOUR POOL,WAKE UP ,GET OUT OF EVIL EU. REGAIN YOUR COUNTRY BEFOPRE YOU LOSE IT.

• eiriamach | Oct 08, 2012, 11:29 AM EDT

  Well said, mamaginnty! Unfortunately, because WoundedKnee/ GeorgeDillon incessantly tries to shut up and drive away the people who object to his atavistic attitudes on immigration, papal autocracy, etc., you see mostly Americans who share his attitudes posting here. Most of us in the USA recognize that we are a nation of immigrants, and like most Europeans, we value our diversity. Is there too much immigration for Ireland to absorb financially? Then Searlit's right: if the corporations did not recruit cheap labor abroad, more native Irish would be working at home. Unionize!

• esatdigiwank | Oct 08, 2012, 07:42 AM EDT

  Here's an awful afterthought: Is Mass Immigration also Dublin's way of ensuring that election after election , a govt from FF Or FG will be elected. Because to whom are the majority of the 500k grateful to , for the chance to settle in Ireland ; the political parties who facilitate them of course. Weep, if you are Irish and conscious. (Oh, good grief, that would mean Soldiers of Infamy lead the next government!).

• WoundedKnee | Oct 07, 2012, 01:20 PM EDT

  Cherball: I have no time for that stupid bigotry you express. Either Mass Immigration is A Good Thing, or it is not. I believe it is not, but I won't create a hierarchy of migrants. Did the Lakota Siouz set out a list of "good settlers" and "bad settlers"? And was it "good settlers" or "bad settlers" who butchered them at Wounded Knee? Didn't much matter, did it?

• TisEyerish | Oct 07, 2012, 12:09 PM EDT

  This article saddened me. First of all, I believe that when people move to a new country, they should learn the language. Period. No excuses. Second of all, doesn't Ireland have a high unemployment rate? Where are these people finding jobs...and are they taking the jobs away from the citizens? Are they able to live off the State, as people who come to America do? While there is a side of me that applauds Ireland for opening her arms, there is another side of me that is so afraid that the beauty of Ireland will be spoiled...more housing will be needed, destroying beautiful countryside, etc. I would hate to see Ireland become a mini-America. Having said all that...if I could relocate to Ireland, I would do so in a heartbeat...I love the land of my ancestors and truly feel my heart and soul are there.

• Cherball | Oct 07, 2012, 11:16 AM EDT

  the Polls are welcome, but the Muslims must go.

• jetsnoone | Oct 07, 2012, 12:35 AM EDT

  Actully I don't have a problem with black people at all. I think they are entitled to their own country like all people including the Irish..... but there are those who want to "de-Irish" Ireland by importing moslems, blacks, asians, etc....example: I object to moslems and asians with theri take-over of Africa, yeah, dummie, that is actually happening.

• warrenpoint00 | Oct 07, 2012, 12:35 AM EDT

  NOW;I can not resist this any longer. I would like to ask WOUNDEDKNEE?Which Knee was it that big Gerry Adams shot you.lol.Look at it this way dude the brits would have shot you in the back of the head for your beligerent attitude.

• warrenpoint00 | Oct 07, 2012, 12:08 AM EDT

  Your a very racist little man JetsNOONE against black people. Calm down chap . You correctly state 100s of millions in oil reserve. So they should not have to come here. Problem is YOU and your mindset and your western colonist thieves went to their land ,raped, stole and pillaged their rich natural assets and you condone that while condeming them for trying to take your DOLE money.Very ,very unfair exchange on your behalf for an illetirate free state Irish guy like you dependent on European monetary support.Calm down chap

• casualMBA | Oct 06, 2012, 09:44 PM EDT

  see the "Loyal Leadership" blog on fitzgeraldsforequity.com for further comments

• casualMBA | Oct 06, 2012, 09:25 PM EDT

  goldenblade, let us break down Ireland's cultural identity, as you suggest, and the nation's utter failure in developing and sustaining “prudent immigration policy”…the imperfect slash of Ireland’s modern identity, goldenblade, begins with its 1916 Proclamation declaring – as the well travelled, multi-lingual Wknee points out – “…We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland"…in 1916, then, Irish patriots declared their vision for an independent principled Irish society which obtained political existence, in some measure, in the formation of the Irish Republic…any quarrels so far?...(it is, is fact, only quarrels and oppression which brought Ireland as far as the Republic)…the debate over Great Britain’s opposition and Ulster’s refusal to accede and join the ranks of the GPO is to be tabled for now…Ireland’s (sovereign) “prudent immigration policy” is the task at hand…and is it not EVER the misplay to sustain ANY policy which supports increases of 500,000 non-nationals in a nation of 4,000,000 nationals?...(see following)

• jetsnoone | Oct 06, 2012, 06:32 PM EDT

  Ah, I looked it up, Nigeria has 150 million people, Ireland only 4 million, and no oil to export, so we are sapposed to help them??? Ireland was a homeland for the Irish but with african and moslem immigration that has/will cease.... isn't that a beautiful way for the Brits to defeat Ireland? Some countries would never throw away their homeland via invasion: the Chinese, Japanese, Indians, and of course Islamic countries.... As you know well, you can have a mosque in Dublin, but NO CHURCHES IN SAUDI ARABIA....

• jetsnoone | Oct 06, 2012, 06:20 PM EDT

  bockthe robber: have you objected to any criticism or rude remarks made about the Irish or about the Church? Of course not. Nigeria is a country with about 95 million people, all quite black in their own homeland that has billions in oil to be harvested. Abslutely no reason for them to come to Ireland....

• Searlit | Oct 06, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT

  The problem isn't the people it's the corporations that want to get cheap labour. Shareholder profit is their religion.

• mamaginnty | Oct 06, 2012, 12:10 PM EDT

  For a start it's almost 2013 and you can half that number, refugees are treatd well here, given good homes and welfare assistance until legal papers are checked. As for the so-called irish americans on this site, most of whom have never set foot in Ireland, such a bigoted lot. The whole world is in a bad way just now, none more so than America, get your own country in order first, then, if there is any irish left in you make your feet work instead of your mouth and come to Ireland...simple.

• WoundedKnee | Oct 06, 2012, 09:53 AM EDT

  Well spoken, Section4. The great problem with Mass Immigration to Ireland, as it is in general in Western European countries, is the democratic deficit. The people have never given their assent to the settlement of their homelands by vast numbers of migrants, no more than the Sioux voted to cede the Dakotas to the white man. And you are right--immigrants are no better or no worse than Irish people. They are not, despite the stupid propaganda of the Irish capitalist-owned media, not better workers. They are not, despite the self-hating anti-Irish racism of some Irish, better looking, sexier, smarter etc. than the Irish. They are not, despite the postings of some idiots here, more broad-minded than the Irish--these fools must think "broad-minded" Pakistani migration into Ireland will make the country more broad-minded! On the other hand, opposition to Mass Immigration represents a stand for diversity and against globalization. For the small nations, who are being swamped by uncontrolled influxes form Nations ten or a hundred times their size. The Mass Immigrationists hate minority cultures--they want to see a world of workers and consumers, all immersed in a global culture. In Ireland you'll often hear Mass Immigrationists attacking the Irish language, on the grounds that the foreign migrants don't understand it. Though the capitalists will work to deny that democratic right, Ireland and other countries urgently need the chance to vote Yeah or Nay to Mass Immigration.

• section4 | Oct 06, 2012, 09:43 AM EDT

  not allowed to work, so you think that with tens of thousands of irish leaving because they have no work that it would help the situation if we let bogus asylum seekers work, very smart. For your info many of these asylum seekers work illegaly, how do i know i worked with them. Also note that last year 70000 pps numbers were issued so even though there are no jobs for irish people there are still mnay thousands of immigrants coming why, because it is economically viable for them to come in thats why, imagine coming from a country like india where you may earn 100 euro a month if your lucky coming to ireland where you can earn multiples of that and get the social for the rest of your life, and bring your wife and kids in and get a council house, and people ask why they come and do jobs that are not econimcally viable for an irish person. Simple it makes economic sense for them, child allowance in poland is 11 a month in ireland its 143 do the sums. Ireland is a laughing stock and an easy touch for immigrants and thats why they come, they know what they are entitled to before they come. Thats is why if you wlak donw o connell st now you maya s well be in manhattan, they should have built the statue of liberty instead of the spire, it would be more appropriate, except ireland is a small country in the grand scheme of things compared to the US.

• WoundedKnee | Oct 06, 2012, 09:35 AM EDT

  Goldenblade, a chara: Maith thú as an obair atá á dhéanamh agat ar son cultúir na hÉireann. Ni foláir ná go bhfuil roinnt mhaith Gaeilge foghlamtha agat anois. Cuir freagra orm sa tsean-theanga, led’ thoil.

• section4 | Oct 06, 2012, 09:20 AM EDT

  The fact of the matter is that the majority of irish did not want this mass immigration and were never asked about it and if they were they would have rejected it, dont the people have a right to the future of their own country. Ask the people of fiji how they feel about mass immigratoin if you can find any fijian leeft in fiji. Also where in the world would you get a situation where a person can come into a country and work for 2 years or less in some instances pay very little tax and then be entitled to social welfare for ther rest of your life and also a free house, if ireland were a company or as some of our idiotic politicians used to say irleand.inc it would be bankrupt years ago. The immigrants are not any better or worse workers than the irish but he fact of the matter is in real terms they are earning many multiples of what they could earn in their won country and thats wjhy they come plus the welfare entitlemants fot he rest of their lifes, economic madness from the point of the ordinary irish man in the street but great for IBEC ISME and multi nationals who take people into the country aided by Grants etc and then when they dont need them let the state and taxpayers look after them for the rest of their lifes, it would not happen in USA.

• mairint | Oct 06, 2012, 05:25 AM EDT

  How many of those non-nationals are NOT ALLOWED to work? I have spoken with some of them in the middle of the NW Ireland town. They sit there, they go on the free internet at the local social office, they get paid not to work. They say the government says that as they are 'refugees' they are forbidden to work even when they want to. How soul destroying is that? Stupid government....

• goldenblade | Oct 06, 2012, 04:53 AM EDT

  There is no such thing as a true "Celt". Ireland's culture has been made up of movement from other countries - notably from the European continent. The Book of Kells and similar heritage from the 11/12th century has heavy influences from the Coptic church of Ethiopia. The young prince found buried on the Hill of Tara is an Egyptian prince. Many legends tell of influxes from the middle East. So casualMBA - if you want to talk about Ireland's cultural identity - let's break it down. It is a unique identity to which several different influences have contributed.

• casualMBA | Oct 06, 2012, 04:37 AM EDT

  lawyer4 the corrosive dilution of Ireland's cultural integrity, I am thinking even an indifferent deity would take exception to your "true future of Ireland."

• goldenblade | Oct 06, 2012, 04:20 AM EDT

  I have reported the comment by jetsnoone to Admin. I can't believe that comments by idiots such as he are allowed on this site. I have lived in Ireland for 19 years - I happen to be black - and am a leading force in promoting tourism and the preservation of Ireland's heritage. I firmly believe that whatever country you move to - you are obliged to keep to their customs and try and bring a positive to that country. So please don't tar us all with the same brush - and I am surprised that with the intelligence and culture that Ireland has - that its representatives abroad are so retarded. I guess Ireland shed its lunatics which can only be a good thing for this wonderful country.

• angrypaddy | Oct 06, 2012, 12:23 AM EDT

  Ireland has become the sewer of Europe full of vermin from Africa and excreta of eastern europe remember when Bertie told you were a multi cultural young country soon only the old irish & the excreta will be left. What a laugh today a man attacked Eamonn Gilmore with an egg !!fogra!When you want someone dead use a gun

• cillowen | Oct 05, 2012, 09:07 PM EDT

  That's the way to quite the restless natives. Such a thought I've held over the troubled years as they are called - the freedom marching that RCs employed trying to dismantle the Apartheid occupier statelet that led to the fighting that was the only attention that they got. I imagined England aiding and abetting hordes of all hues to descend on Erin's isle. The job is now close to being nigh perfectly done. The sons and daughters that might serve Ireland's recovery are far away thanks to the Anglophile politicians that crawl about - snakes that St Patrick was clueless about.

• palmeiras | Oct 05, 2012, 08:52 PM EDT

  I think it's disgraceful that these emigrants are allowed to stream in and take the jobs that some, at least, of those 200,000 would take but are being out done because these emigrants can work for less than the Irish, but for much more than they'd make in their own country.

• palmeiras | Oct 05, 2012, 08:39 PM EDT

  jetsnoone, that's an ignorant racist comment; get a grip. However, about assimilating, majority of these emigrants have no interest in assimilating; they literally dont know what the word means; it's all about taking and no giving; I find nigerians that I've met rude and arrogant; I'm sure some are not that way but I have not met them. With 200,000 Irish in OZ

• Bocktherobber | Oct 05, 2012, 08:34 PM EDT

  Irish Central -- Are you comfortable with comments like "Nigga go home now"? Is that the sort of website you're running?

• jetsnoone | Oct 05, 2012, 08:14 PM EDT

  Nigga go home now.

• lawyer4 | Oct 05, 2012, 07:11 PM EDT

  As an agnostic who grew up in a joke "Republic" totally dominated by bigoted Roman Catholics, sharing an island with a "province" controlled by narrow-minded Protestants, I can only say Thank God for the newcomers, most of whom are fellow citizens of the European Union, plus a number of enterprising and energetic political and / or economic refugees who are treated appallingly, but who, despite the ignorant hostility they receive every day, represent the true future of Ireland.

• Woodman | Oct 05, 2012, 07:03 PM EDT

  Wish the Poles would come to the USA? We could use some more productive white people. I guess EU rules means you can't keep out the Nigerians? Lot of the Nigerians post videos about how they are "discriminated against" in a European country they voluntarily emigrated to. What's up with that anyway?

• oaklongan | Oct 05, 2012, 06:55 PM EDT

  TayandCake: You spoke the Truth I feel...would love to be in the homeland of my Grandparents, but Eire's lifeblood, Spirit and Soul of Ireland is now swiftly slipping away...Much has been written and said about the unique Essence, Look and Feel of Eire, by the sensitive, dense and everyone in between. Who would've thought this COULD happen!?

• jamieLM | Oct 05, 2012, 06:33 PM EDT

  I agree with WKnee that every country needs a "prudent immigration policy." No country does well when it's overwhelmed by immigrants that it can't afford to support and who make demands on the host country to change its ways to accommodate them. Irish culture will be affected by immigrants who expect the Irish to change and adapt to non-Irish cultural and religious ways instead of the immigrants respecting and assimilating into Irish culture. Whenever I visit Ireland, I expect to follow Irish customs and laws, not American ones. If I chose to move there, I'd expect to have to adapt and assimilate into Irish culture. I wouldn't expect to live in Ireland the way I lived in America. If I did, I should've stayed home. Unfortunately, not all immigrants feel that way. The Irish need to think about how much they're willing to allow their culture to be changed by immigrants who refuse to assimilate. The U.S. has some of the same problems - we can't finance unlimited and uncontrolled immigration and we want immigrants to assimilate into American culture.

• oaklongan | Oct 05, 2012, 06:29 PM EDT

  Wounded Knee, Greatly appreciate your comments...a good feeling, observant, cognizant mind, soul and spirit traveling and living the entire globe, speaking and understanding myriad languages would give one a good 'feel' of the planetary pulse is what our 'leaders' would benefit greatly by. Being a 'fly on the wall' all over, would be another--without 'enablers' all 'round them. You could indeed be an Adept...

• el jefe | Oct 05, 2012, 05:50 PM EDT

  the big problem facing ireland is the large amount of nigerians who are here and with big families.in my town there are thousands of them and none working.the welfare office is full of them.as a small country on our knees we cant sustain this

• brendan gillen | Oct 05, 2012, 05:31 PM EDT

  I think that its great. We could do with some new blood in Ireland. Besides, the Irish are leaving in droves to find a better life in Canada. Just like I did.

• warrenpoint00 | Oct 05, 2012, 05:29 PM EDT

  I love it. The new Irish plus Irish nationalists = a new Ireland for the Irish.No more partionist free state or british unionist led agendas anymore for our nation.The transformation of all Ireland has already begun ,the reunification of Ireland will come about by European intervention so for those poor partitionist fools expecting that their GFA principle of consent vote will matter, forget about it,you will be but a tiny minority voice in the wilderness.Welcome to Ireland all you weary nationals of the world your presence will be a welcome change from those that we Irish nationals have had to put up with over the last couple of centuries.

• WoundedKnee | Oct 05, 2012, 05:17 PM EDT

  TayandCake: Good post. Ireland is the only homeland of the Irish people, the only home they have or will ever have. As James Connolly said "Ireland without her people means nothing to me". Or as the 1916 Proclamation puts it: "We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland". But the people are now being supplanted and replaced by foreign migrants, all at the behest of the Irish boss class. Not one Irish vote was ever cast for Mass Immigration--it is truly undemocratic, even fascist. The process can still be resisted, but time is running out. By mid-century or earlier expect to see the Irish a minority in their own ancient homeland. A decade or two later and an Irishman will be as rare on the banks of the Liffey as is today a Mohawk on the banks of the Hudson.

• WoundedKnee | Oct 05, 2012, 05:10 PM EDT

  pilib: What a moronic post. You accuse someone of "xenophobia" for wanting to see Irish nationality preserved and a prudent immigration policy implemented in that country. And just to prove you're an utter fool, you confide in us that this is "an Irish American newspaper". Gee, really??? You don't say. Actually, you're're the Know Nothing, Pilib. I travel to more countries in one year than you'll ever see in your whole life, and I speak more languages than you could learn in your whole life. Stop your dumb insults, you racist dope.

• Irishphotograph | Oct 05, 2012, 04:20 PM EDT

  The Irish Identity is truly defined as. One who holds to a higher Moral Standard brought by Patrick in the 5th Century. One puts people first over self interest. One who is friendly and welcoming to others. One who speaks up against perceived wrongs and speaks up for the oppressed.

• TayandCake | Oct 05, 2012, 04:02 PM EDT

  I'd worry about the island itself, the hills and valleys, the little stone churches in the mountains, the white washed cottages, the wee pub on every corner, the sound of a fiddle at a blazing fireplace, the cloth cap, the small chat over Guinness, the clash of the ash. Will they take of the place when the paddies cease to be. I doubt it. Its not the land of your granny anymore. Irish Americans get a hard time, but they'll treat this wee island with more love and respect than anyone else. Maybe they should move here in massive numbers.

• TayandCake | Oct 05, 2012, 03:48 PM EDT

  why does the world want to destroy ireland

• Springfield9 | Oct 05, 2012, 02:20 PM EDT

  Does the last irishman have to turn out the lights or just rn up some heathen flag?

• pilib04 | Oct 05, 2012, 01:54 PM EDT

  WoundedKnee. You do know this is an Irish American newspaper. Hence those who generally post here are emigrants to the USA or the children of said emigrants. That being said, I'm not sure I understand the constant xenophobia in your comments. It really does not make sense unless you are a Nativist or "KnowNothing" of some type. All European Americans are emigrants. As for five continents, please note that there are seven: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

• WoundedKnee | Oct 05, 2012, 01:07 PM EDT

  Bobby: That poster silling's effort at humor bears out what I have thought for a long time--the Irish reputation for wit is totally undeserved. I suspect he and the other Irish (?) here who are big boosters for Mass Immigration have traveled little outside of Ireland. I have always noticed that the Irish who get off on Mass Immigration tend to be those who have ventured no further out of Ireland than a soccer game in Manchester England. You have to travel the world as I have--all five continents, maybe 60/70 countries, to appreciate how fragile a thing is a minor culture and nationality. In the case of Ireland what remains of its culture after centuries of foreign domination will be forever wiped away by Mass Immigration. You cannot have an Ireland in which the Irish are an ethnic minority (predicted to happen within 2 or 3 decades) and still think of it as Ireland. Already we can see that foreign migrants in Ireland are shopwing no interest in Irish culture, history or language. Irish Americans, who often confuse blarney bluster and baloney with nationality, ought to get serious and consider the loss of the nation of their ancestors.

• WoundedKnee | Oct 05, 2012, 12:58 PM EDT

  katiemac: Are you semi-literate? Where did IC criticize "immigrants to Ireland who came into the country legally"? Read the article again, carefully, and apologize to IC for your sloppy reading skills. Are you trying to tell the Irish that they have no right to discuss national immigration policy? What a nerve you have.

• popeye1250 | Oct 05, 2012, 12:37 PM EDT

  Well you don't want to get too "diverse" or you'll end up a tower of babel like the U.S. The Taxpayers here have to pay for interpreters for people (legal immigrants and illegal aliens) and all kinds of other benefits. Whole neighborhoods can't and won't speak english and won't assimilate. "Diversity" for diversity's sake in and of itself isn't a "good" thing. I don't know where that kind of "thinking" comes from. The last thing (any) Western country needs is immigration from third or fourth world countries by people who can't speak english (or the native tongue) and people who aren't even literate in their own languages and have very low education standards. They end up as wards of the state again paid for by the Taxpayers. We've become a luxury flophouse for the third world and the *Taxpayers* are getting sick and tired of paying for all this mess! We here in the in the U.S. are having ongoing problems trying to get our government to *L-I-S-T-E-N* to...The People on this to no avail so we're going to resolve this in November. "Immigration" should be good and uplifting for the country allowing it, not a charity measure by some politician who "feels sorry" for the third world albeit with "opm",..."other people's money." The U.S. is now a mature country and any immigration we "need" is strictly on the higher levels of education i.e. medical, some engineering etc. We have *no shortage* of high school dropouts and recent college grads to do any manual labor jobs. So, my Irish brothers and sisters, take a lesson from the U.S. and *don't do what we're doing!* Slainte

• Tooreenagrena | Oct 05, 2012, 12:32 PM EDT

  Ironic that the second largest group are described as british nationals instead of what they actually are people of Irish descent. Maybe when the population of Ireland is more than 50% non Irish they will welcome those of us from Irish families born abroad instead of the denigrating 'plastic paddy' label from the past.

• katiemac | Oct 05, 2012, 12:31 PM EDT

  You know, here in the US we have large Polish populations, and I can tell you they are fine people. I am a proud aunt to 2 Polish-Irish nephews, and I do not like the implied anti-Pole tone. But what really strikes me about this IC article is the rank hyprocrisy. IC never hesitates to criticize the US for expecting immigrants to follow the existing laws, and here you are criticizing immigrants to Ireland who came into the country legally. Shame.

• Seanmor | Oct 05, 2012, 12:22 PM EDT

  In addition to the half million plus foreignrs in the part of Ireland south of the border, there are probably at least a 100,000 immigrants living in the Northern counties. The powers-that-be in Church and State are very accommodating of all those who speak foreign languages, but are often hostile to Irish natives anywhere on earth toisc go mbíonn áthas orainn an Ghaeilge a labheirt.

• Irishphotograph | Oct 05, 2012, 12:07 PM EDT

  I dont care if youre black, white, yellow or whatever. Just aslong you have dont commit crimes, submit to the laws of the State, dont want to change Irish society with Islam or to a more secular one. Then by all means, Welcome to Ireland!

• Happyhippo | Oct 05, 2012, 11:04 AM EDT

  There are approx 740 US company's located in Ireland,some of the largest,like Intel,Google Facebook,Paypal,Apple,EMC, the top 10 major drug company's in the world are there,the top US medical device company's are there,Ireland is the biggest exporter of computer software in the world,a lot of these company's need people with language skills which cant be got in Ireland so they hire foreign nationals,just like every country there are always people who will exploit the system.

• Bocktherobber | Oct 05, 2012, 10:41 AM EDT

  Michael, I don't believe you're a journalist and I don't believe your story about interviewing people at airports and ferries. I suspect you're just a guy who doesn't like foreigners. Personally, I think it's great that we're increasing our diversity and escaping from the closed, narrow-minded little country we used to be.

• MichaelMcGrath | Oct 05, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

  There is easily one million immigrants in Ireland right now and they are still pouring in, as I have seen with my own eyes at Dublin Airport. I have talked to them in the lounges and coffee bars there, and time and again they have questions for me on getting welfare, especially the Africans and Asians.I am able to see them because I have my Press Pass as a journalist and state to immigration control that I am doing articles on "the new Irish" from the moment they arrive. The immigrants at the airport have many questions on council housing too. They all know already that there are no jobs in Ireland. Almost all of them are completely unskilled but they're not here for jobs anyway. And here's the rub - MOST ARE COME IN FROM ENGLAND:- And it's the same story at the ferry ports, at Dun Laoghaire and Rosslare , where I also interview. At the ports all the immigrants are come over from England, and all are registered already with the British Border Police who are deliberately allowing them over to settle in Ireland contrary to the Dublin Conventions.

• bobby | Oct 05, 2012, 09:53 AM EDT

  Silling what a thick comment. Rot.

• CelticQueenUSA | Oct 05, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT

  I believe that the influx of foreign nationals is bleeding Ireland dry, getting dole, housing and many other monetary help at the cost of comfort to your own people, Ireland is a generous minded people but you are being worked by other countries particularly Nigeria, and these people have no intention of becoming productive citizens. I pray for Ireland but feel that you will go down the tubes if this injustice to your own people continues.

• Silling | Oct 05, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT

  I think there are too many Irish in Ireland, the country would prosper with more foreigners who are not so provincial and hinge bound as we nationals are. Voluntary immigration should be encouraged. It is obvious after a hundred years of communism in Russia, that it is as unworkable as Ireland's hundred years of self determination. A Polish government in the dail would be the solution to all our problems.

• WoundedKnee | Oct 05, 2012, 09:14 AM EDT

  There is no doubt that these figures are actually unreliable. The Irish Statistics Office is notoriously unable to collect good data. Indeed a couple of years back, the Irish Minister for Immigration, a guy called Lenehan, publicly said he didn't believe the Statistics Office on the numbers of migrants. Like me, he was certain that foreign migrants were undercounted. Take a trip thru Ireland, from Dublin's O'Connell Street (where foreign migrants outnumber Irish people by four or five to one) to the remotest villages and towns, and you'll see the reality. It's called ethnosuicide.