Open door immigration policy dangerous, says union chief

THE economy could not support an open door immigration policy, the leader of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) said yesterday.

Launching the 2002 annual report of the Refugee Information Service (RIS), David Begg said such an approach would cause huge tensions in Irish society.

"We have to bear in mind the recent experience in the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria, which has seen the emergence of far-right political parties," said Mr Begg, who has extensive Third World development experience.