Reader's Blog: Time for a rational debate on immigration

Brendan Butler contends that Peadar Toibin’s statement that “immigration needs to be managed at a sustainable level” is an attempt “to garnish and generate political support on the issue of immigration” — ‘Politicians exploit xenophobia’ (Irish Examiner, Letters, April 11).

Really? There are an estimated 60m immigrants worldwide on the move for various reasons. It would be laudable and awe-inspiring if our small island were to take 10% of that number, no questions asked. Ireland was able to support more than 8m before the Famine so why not 10m now?