Ireland can still get integration of migrants right

IRELAND has been given “plenty of warnings” from countries like France as to what will happen if migrant workers are not integrated into society, an international expert said yesterday.

Patrick Taran, a senior migrant specialist with the International Labour Organisation (IL0), said Ireland still had the opportunity “to get it right” and avoid the experiences of fellow EU member states.

He said countries such as France brought in large numbers of workers from north Africa and elsewhere to carry out essential work in the 1950s and 1960s but failed to put in place long term support arrangements.