PROINSIAS DE ROSSA, MEP
Sir, - Regrettably, Conor O'Brien's references to "serious social and economic consequences" (August 8th) should Ireland allow the citizens of the new EU member states to live and work in Ireland after enlargement echoes some of the deliberate and disgraceful scaremongering by Anthony Coughlan and Justin Barrett over recent weeks. I welcome the recent declarations by Sinn Féin and the Greens distancing themselves from these tactics.
It is my understanding that the Government will not limit the right to free movement to the citizens of these new member states because the expected trickle of immigration to Ireland will on balance benefit the Irish economy.
As Forfás has pointed out, citizens of these countries will make a valuable contribution to our economy and society, just as many are already doing at present.
It is a deliberate misrepresentation to suggest that tens of thousands will suddenly descend en masse on Ireland.
As I pointed out in an earlier letter, a European Commission study in March, 2001, concluded that 150,000 people at most will migrate westwards annually and over three-quarters of these will settle in Germany and Austria. I estimate that fewer than 2,000 will choose our distant shores each year.
The simple fact is that the vast majority of people who can do so, prefer to stay at home and improve conditions in their own country. And those who do emigrate usually prefer to return home once things get better in their own country, as we've seen for ourselves over recent years.
Membership of the European Union will enable the new member-states develop their economies and their social support systems as it has done for Ireland. The Nice Treaty is designed to facilitate that membership at the earliest possible date.
The logic of the "no migration" argument is that only capital should benefit from enlargement. This isn't too far from the conservative thesis that Europe should confine itself to reducing trade barriers and obstacles to free movement of capital, and should have nothing to do with raising social standards, achieving equality between women and men and protecting our environment. As a socialist I don't want the conservatives' version of Europe.
Lastly I make no apologies to Conor O'Brien, Justin Barrett, or Anthony Coughlan for arguing passionately against xenophobic tactics, which are alien to the fundamental socialist values of internationalism and solidarity. - Yours, etc.,
PROINSIAS DE ROSSA, MEP Molesworth St, Dublin 2