IT IS now open season on discussing immigration in our political system. Having been too retentive about the issue for too long, the pendulum has swung the other way.

THE crucial double by-election next spring, prompted by John Bruton and Charlie McCreevy taking up EU jobs, will be used by the political parties to position candidates for the 2007 general election.

The Labour party has said the Government had not produced statistics to back up its arguments in favour of the upcoming citizenship referendum.