Britain to guide Ireland over new EU state workers

IRELAND will liaise closely with Britain in deciding whether to open its doors to potential workers from Bulgaria and Romania.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell conceded yesterday that the Government will be partly guided by Britain.

It was the clearest signal yet from the Government of likely restrictions on workers from the proposed new European Union states.

Both countries are expected to join the EU in January but existing member states can ban their workers for up to seven years.

The Tánaiste said Ireland was likely to “follow the British lead” due to the common travel area that exists, whereby there is no passport control for Irish and British people travelling between either country.

“Ireland is not going to take a more liberal path than Britain because the consequences for the common travel area could be chaotic,” said Mr McDowell.

Earlier this week, Home Secretary John Reid, referring to the two prospective member states, said Britain would have to manage immigration carefully. He suggested they would introduce a number of measures, such as quotas.

Mr McDowell said the Government would have to consult very closely on the matter with the British.

“We have our own economic and social issues to look after as well in this area,” the minister said.

More than 250,000 workers from the EU accession states registered to work here since May 2004 when Ireland became one of three EU countries to open its doors to them.

This was proportionally a much higher number than the 600,000 that entered Britain with a population of 60 million, he said.