Nearly 16,000 Irish emigrants on welfare in Britain

ALMOST 16,000 Irish immigrants have fallen on such hard times in Britain that they are now reliant on that country’s notoriously frugal social welfare system.

Figures, compiled for the first time, show that Ireland is the fourth biggest contributor to Britain’s 371,000-strong population of unemployed immigrants.

The opposition has said that the number caught in the punitive British welfare system undermined Finance Minister Michael Noonan’s comment that many people were emigrating as a lifestyle choice.

Of the 15,980 Irish people claiming unemployment benefits, 8,920 are not able to work because of a disability.

The figures, compiled by the British employment ministry, cover a jurisdiction where an unemployed person over the age of 25 is entitled to almost half of what would be paid to those in a similar situation here.

However, Irish immigrant support services in London have said the total does not reflect the full extent of the problem. This is because recent arrivals cannot claim benefits because they do not meet the habitual residency requirement.

Alex McDonnell, the co-ordinator of the Aisling Project for vulnerable Irish people in Britain, said he suspects many on the dole are those who came over in the 1980s. He said it was too early to assess the fate of the latest generation of migrants.

“What was different in previous periods of immigration was that there was a big labour market. In the post-war period there was a lot of building and in the 80s there was big investment in constructing the likes of Canary Wharf.

“There just wouldn’t be the same type of labour incentives available now as in previous generations.”

Mr McDonnell said support services indicated there had been as much as a 40% increase in Irish people referring themselves for advice or assistance.

Fianna Fáil’s employment spokesman, Willie O’Dea, said people were willing to stay in Britain despite the lower payments because there was still a chance they might find work.

“They feel they might as well stay there even though the social welfare is much less generous because there is no chance at all of getting work here,” he said.

Mr O’Dea said that Mr Noonan’s attitude was akin to believing those in difficult situations had more control over their destiny than was the case.