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.