Emigrant study - Irish in Britain need assistance

THE sad plight of hundreds of young Irish emigrants in Britain gives the lie to Celtic Tiger Ireland.

Despite being one of the richest states in Europe, we export thousands of young people to Britain where a significant minority end up on the margins of society.

Given the burgeoning state of the economy, it is surprising that more than 4,000 people have to leave our shores for Britain every year. The worrying aspect, underlined by the Emigrant Advice group, is that around 260 people are forced to rely on assistance from welfare and other support services there.

The descent of young Irish emigrants into poverty mirrors the plight of many an older emigrant who went to Britain in the 1950s and ‘60s.

A lost generation, they have fallen through the net, too poor to come home or live out their twilight years in relative comfort in Britain.

Ironically, today’s exodus is in stark contrast with the vast influx of tens of thousands of young people from Eastern European states coming to work in Ireland.

At the same time, concern is growing over the uncertain future of an estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish people in America.

In a bid to lobby legislators on their behalf, members of an Oireachtas Foreign Affairs committee will visit the US next month, seeking to galvanise support for comprehensive Senate reforms of the immigration process.

Hopefully, politicians will take as much interest in the plight of young people who emigrate to Britain because of family breakdown, violence or threats. Tragically, many end up homeless and turn to prostitution and drugs.