85,000 EU migrants move to Ireland, says figs

Ireland is the most popular destination for migrant workers from the EU's 10 new member states.

New figures from the Department of Family and Social Affairs show that just over 85,000 migrants from accession states were allocated social security numbers here in the first year after enlargement.

The number is six times more per head of population than Britain, the next most popular destination for migrant workers.

Polish workers make up almost half the number of newcomers here. More than 40,000 have come here to work, mainly in the construction industry.

18,000 Lithuanians and 9,000 Latvians have also moved here.

Ireland is one of the few EU countries that did not impose any quotas on people coming here from the new member states.