Government gets tough on 'benefit tourists'

THE Government yesterday followed Britain's controversial stance on immigration by launching a crackdown on so-called 'benefit tourists' from Eastern Europe.

Social Affairs Minister Mary Coughlan said that as yet unspecified changes to the social welfare code would be "no less robust that those introduced in Britain", though it would be confined only to those seeking social welfare and not to job-seekers.

And in another unexpected move, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil yesterday that the Government would take steps to address the growing number of births to non-nationals. A quarter of all births in maternity hospitals in the State are to mothers who come from abroad.

Indicating his Cabinet would come up with a resolution, he said it was an issue that had to be dealt with.

"Many of the people coming are just coming here for purely the birth and then returning [abroad]," he said. "People have come to the conclusion that it's a problem relating to the issue of citizenship. We must try to deal with it."

The Irish Examiner also understands that once the ten accession States join the EU on May 1, the Government will also begin to move against undocumented workers living in Ireland. These are immigrants from outside the enlarged EU who have neither claimed asylum nor have applied for social welfare in Ireland but who work on the black market.

A source close to Government said yesterday that 'tracking systems' will be put in place to ascertain how many illegal workers now reside in the State. There are no reliable statistics at present. Such a move would likely be a precursor to clamping down on their numbers.

Ms Coughlan reiterated yesterday that her 'robust' measures would only be directed at those who arrive in Ireland to seek benefits and not those seeking employment.

It is thought that the restrictions, like those in Britain, will initially be in place for two years. However, the indications were last night that the Government will not require workers from accession states to register in Ireland, a central requirement of the controversial measures introduced by British home secretary, David Blunkett.

In outlining her position, Ms Coughlan said: "Up until yesterday, both Ireland and Britain were alone in the EU in not restricting incomers from the 10 new member states.

"I am concerned that as a result of the latest announcement by an EU State on travel restrictions that Ireland would remain the only country that had not put in place protections for its welfare system."

She also alluded to Ireland's common travel area with Britain as an important factor behind the move.

Her proposals are expected to be made public within the next month and will be in place by May 1.

Ironically, the new measures were announced on a day when figures released by the UNHCR showed a drop of 32% in the number of new asylum seekers arriving in Ireland. A total of just under 8,000 asylum seekers came to Ireland last year, putting the country in 13th place in Europe.

Britain witnessed an even bigger drop, falling by 41% to 61,000. Nigeria continued to be the top country of origin of new asylum seekers in Ireland.