Refugee racism ‘worse during recession’

IRISH attitudes towards immigrants are changing for the better but the recession is making integration more difficult, the head of the Refugee Information Service has warned.

Speaking at the launch of a new integration guide for immigrant youth and parents – the first ever of its kind – Jo Ahern said during the Celtic Tiger things were easier for people, but now in the recession, with 18% of all dole claimants immigrants, it was becoming more difficult.

The issues surrounding integration are not going away though, Ms Ahern said.

“Given the current global economic crisis, there were still close to 60,000 people who moved here in 2009, taking the estimated total number of first and second generation immigrants living in Irish communities to more than half a million people,” she said.

“Integration therefore continues to present significant challenges and opportunities in terms of the current and longer term contexts.”

Ms Ahern said most migrants tended to remain and now the children of those who had come in the Celtic Tiger era were growing up.

“We hope this guide will help new people arriving to navigate the systems better.”

The booklet, An Integration Guide for Immigrant Youth and Parents, addresses issues identified by research with immigrant parents and young people.

Among the biggest concerns were racism and discrimination, feeling isolated and not having paid work.

Another practical issue was the different education system. Both parents and young people said they experienced lower educational and disciplinary standards and a lack of recognition of children’s capabilities when they came to Ireland.