Segregation danger among migrant clusters

SOME migrant communities who “cluster” in certain areas are in danger of becoming segregated from their Irish neighbours, according to a new report.

The conclusion is among a number of findings in a study by the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) into housing trends among migrant communities and has prompted calls for the Government and local authorities to build an “intercultural dimension” into housing and planning policy.

Part one of the research was carried out by the Centre for Housing Research and University College Dublin for the NCCRI, and both sections explore the recent trends surrounding integration and housing issues. The report highlights the poor standard of housing occupied by some migrants, mentioning properties in Dublin and Dundalk in particular. It also highlights the high concentration of migrants in the private rented sector and the lack of incentives to get those communities into other sectors, such as home ownership.