In recent weeks the status and even the presence of refugees in Ireland have become matters of bitter public controversy. Suddenly, it seems, people have become aware of the significant number of refugees seeking asylum here: it could increase this year three or four fold from what has been a very low base indeed. This has given rise to a number of intemperate outbursts from public representatives, who ought to be much more aware of how over generalising and stereotyping images of strangers can play a part in creating or encouraging racist attitudes. There is a considerable danger that distorted or over simplified accounts of these issues will set back the progress that has been made in modernising Irish legislation and drawing out the lessons of tolerance that face any society becoming more accustomed to multiculturalism and diversity.
In recent years we have become more ready, largely under the influence of the President, Mrs Robinson, to celebrate achievements of the 70 million strong Irish diaspora overseas. It is all too easy to overlook the fact that these people are descended from generations of political refugees and economic migrants from Ireland. There is all the more reason to remember it as this State prospers and modernises its own legislation on immigration and refugee status, in the process becoming more attractive as a haven to those who have suffered persecution or hunger around the world.
The shift from emigration to immigration is, indeed, an epochal change in European social history over the last 50 years. Perfectly understandably, because of Ireland's belated development, it is only now directly affecting this country. The varying impact on different European countries can be seen in the numbers of nonEU immigrants in Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Sweden where the proportions are 5-10 per cent of the host populations, in contrast to Spain, Italy, Finland or Ireland, where the numbers are much smaller. This, in turn, reflects their different exposure to post colonial migratory flows, post war labour shortages and, more recently, the flight of political refugees from central and eastern Europe, Africa and Asia in such large numbers.
Ireland, by virtue of its own history, is a late comer to these developments. For many years immigration policy has been run secretively and highly restrictively by the Department of Justice in close conjunction with the British government so as to protect the common labour movement area between these two islands. A comprehensive and radical overhaul of these procedures has now been put on the statute books, which brings Irish legislation more in line with international commitments and best practice in providing welfare and speedy processing for those seeking refugee status. But it remains to be fully implemented, with the result that there are still long delays and therefore a buildup of people awaiting decisions.
The eruption of concern and prejudice was perhaps only to be expected, especially during an election campaign. But it behoves those responsible for administering the law and those giving leadership to public opinion to emphasise the welcoming and rights based foundation of the new policies now in place and the need to distinguish carefully between the great majority of law abiding refugees and the small minority who break Irish laws and must be subject to its rigours if they do so.