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?
Could the country sustain that number now since we are so much wealthier, more educated, fatter, etc? Debatable, which is why a calm, rational debate on the issue is a great deal more important than the usual squawking of xenophobia, racism, and right-wing fundamentalism from the usual suspects.
