Africans are now less optimistic about living here, research finds

Africans in Ireland are less optimistic about their future here than they were some years ago and more likely to turn to other Africans for help than to Irish people, research published yesterday by Trinity College Dublin finds.

The research, Africans in 21st Century Dublin: A Profile and Needs Analysis, also finds over half either would not like to make Ireland their home or were unsure. The author, Mr Abel Ugba, of the Department of Sociology in Trinity College, interviewed 182 Africans from 17 countries and conducted a number of focus group discussions.

"In the focus groups, it came through very strongly that more than experiences of on-street racism, changes in citizenship and immigration laws were growing the preoccupation," Mr Ugba said yesterday. "People are concerned about the impact on their life chances here, as well as how the changes will impact on the general public's interpretation of them."

As well as increasing insecurity about residency rights, experiences of racism, unemployment and underemployment and the absence of strong social networks were also the obstacles to Africans feeling welcome and "at home" in Ireland.

The largest single proportion of respondents in Mr Ugba's research came from Nigeria (57 per cent), followed by Sierra Leone (8.9 per cent) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (4.5 per cent). Some 60 per cent said they came to claim political asylum here, with others here to study, work or to join established relatives.

Although almost half (47.4 per cent) had third-level qualifications with a further 39.4 per cent having attained second-level education, just 38 (22 per cent) said they were employed. Seven per cent said they were self-employed, 33 per cent were students and 27 per cent said they were unemployed. Others were either full-time parents or "between jobs".

Of these unemployed Africans, almost half (42 per cent) gave as a reason that they had no work permit.

The language barrier was blamed by four (5.4 per cent), while being a student or inability to get a job was cited by 24, (2.5 per cent) of respondents.

Of the employed respondents, 11 (28.9 per cent) said they had had particular problems securing work.

"The nature of the difficulties had mostly to do with nationality, skin-colour and possessing foreign qualifications.

"Many had to go through long struggles and periods of unemployment getting qualifications recognised," said Mr Ugba.

Many also felt "thrown out there without the necessary supports" and were more likely to turn to their churches - typically African Pentecostal churches - for advice and support rather than to Irish agencies.

On socialising, Mr Ugba said there was concern that there was little informal interaction with Irish people. He asked about frequency visiting pubs. Almost three quarters (72.4 per cent) said they "very rarely" or "never" did, with the rest saying they did "often" or "very often". Most said pubs were not to their taste or that they didn't think they'd be welcome.