‘Welfare cheats’ a disgraceful slur on immigrants

YOUR columnist Ivan Yates’s post-budget commentary headlined ‘A move in the right direction’ (December 10) contained a disgraceful slur against migrants in Ireland.

The article referred to a recent Prime Time Investigates programme and stated, without qualification, that migrants carried dual identities and were falsely using other people’s PPS numbers fraudulently to claim social welfare. The choice of words used in the article implies all migrants are social welfare cheats. This is grossly offensive, unfair and inflammatory.

The Immigrant Council of Ireland deplores social welfare fraud, whoever commits it. We also condemn irresponsible commentary that singles out one group and condemns all members of that group for the actions of the few.