20% of unemployment benefit claimants are non-Irish

One in five people claiming unemployment benefit are non- Irish nationals from other EU countries — a quarter of them from Britain — according to a major report on the impact of unemployed migrants on social welfare budgets.

The survey coincides with an announcement by Social Affairs Minister Joan Burton, of gardaí checks on people — Irish and non-Irish citizens — to identify social welfare fraud.

The Immigrant Council of Ireland warned such checks must not single out any particular group of people or communities. “There is no evidence of social welfare fraud being more prevalent among migrant communities,” said the council’s Denise Charlton.