Has mass immigration been a net burden on Ireland?

[Breadan O'Connor]

I heard Dermot Ahern on Radio saying that the government will spend 56 billion in the next year but taxes will only bring in 42 billion.

It's clear that the government's commitments have increased far beyond it's ability to pay for them. Considering that many immigrants have only low paid jobs yet require access to healthcare, education, child allowance etc, then it could be argued that they are a significant cost on government finances.

We were told by establishment commentators in recent years that immigrants were good for the Irish economy but now that our boom based on borrowed money is well and truly over I wonder if that really holds true?

[riven]

The economy increased strongly over the last decade and a half mainly due to immegration. Without the extra approx 15% population (est last pps figures), foreign multinational companies and foreign investment, we would not have an economy to recess from. Please remember that immegrant companies are some of our biggest employers!
Our problem mirrors many others. We overspend on grandious ideas and lifstyles without investing in infastructure and saving.

[Odyessus]

The economy increased strongly over the last decade and a half mainly due to immegration. Without the extra approx 15%, foreign multinational companies and foreign investment, we would not have an economy to recess from. Please remember that immegrant companies are some of our biggest employers!
Our problem mirrors many others. We overspend on grandious ideas and lifstyles without investing in infastructure and saving.

Increased immigration was due to the booming economy, not the other way round. Just as the decrease in immigration we are now experiencing is not the cause of the present recession, but the result of it.

[Gimpanzee]

You want to know if an immigrant population with a demographic profile skewed hugely towards young single working men and women, with almost no elderly dependents and few child dependents were good for the economy?

Listen closely - it is simple - it is the Paddies who are solely to blame. If you cannot accept this fact and are looking for scapegoats you need an almighty kick up the hole - it is morons like this that will make sure that we learn nothing from this crisis and prolong the downturn.

The took out car loans, daft mortgates, two-holidays a year and ran the arse of the credit card. The self-styled uber-Paddies in FF encouraged these same witless fools who responded in kind by voting FF. Anyone who actually believed that we were the richest people in Europe, and lived their life as though they were is to blame.

[McDave]

Low pay for young workers who don't use the health system? Sounds like a good deal for Ireland's skinflint employers and greedy landlords.

As I see it, the main downside for us is that a lot of immigrants will have seen what a botch-job we made of our economy. Countries like Poland will know first-hand from innumerable witnesses that if they get their act together they'll not see any competition from us.

Meanwhile back in the Celtic Vulture, whingers about the rapidly-departing new accession immigrants can revert to the time-honoured practice of 1980s Ireland - moaning into their pints.

[Breadan O'Connor]

You want to know if an immigrant population with a demographic profile skewed hugely towards young single working men and women, with almost no elderly dependents and few child dependents were good for the economy?.

Last year we had a record 72,000 babies born, of which I believe one in every six were born to non-national parents.

It's hardly true to say that they have few child dependents.

[Gimpanzee]

Last year we had a record 72,000 babies born, of which I believe one in every six were born to non-national parents.

It's hardly true to say that they have few child dependents.

Oh, its true alright - because one-in-three people between the ages of 25-44 are non-nationals (2006 census).

[myksav]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Breadan O'Connor
Last year we had a record 72,000 babies born, of which I believe one in every six were born to non-national parents.

It's hardly true to say that they have few child dependents.

Oh, its true alright - because one-in-three people between the ages of 25-44 are non-nationals (2006 census).

That one-in-three between 25-44 being non-nationals. Interesting, but not all of them are single. Many of them are married, either with spouse in their own home country or with them here. Marrying age tends to be much lower than it is here as well.

[DaBrow]

Fact remains that after a roller-coaster ride that lasted 15 years, we have one hell of a rotten hangover to care of.

A Booming economy that was really little more than a generous overdraft has weakened our country more than ever........... compared to strengthening it.

The number of Foreign Nationals in this country is far too high for a country of our population............ compared to the rest of europe we have had half a century of immigration per head in a little more over a decade.

Most of the money that is generated by foreign nationals actually leaves the country than stays in it.

I remember reading in FHM that Polish Immigration as an example has generated about £300million for Britain but they send £3 Billion to their homeland.......... this was back in January.

We were never prepared for or wanted the chaos and catastrophe that Mass-Immigration has impacted Ireland socially & economically...................... I only feel sorry for those who worked hard and contributed because they were seen only as economic units...............never as human beings.

I think its going to get really nasty soon........ and I don't want to see the consequences of irresponsible governce that we have seen for the last 15 years.

More & more people want Ireland to be given back to the Irish.............. fears of losing our treasured Identity are rising faster than we first thought.

[Breadan O'Connor]

Fact remains that after a roller-coaster ride that lasted 15 years, we have one hell of a rotten hangover to care of.

A Booming economy that was really little more than a generous overdraft has weakened our country more than ever........... compared to strengthening it.

The number of Foreign Nationals in this country is far too high for a country of our population............ compared to the rest of europe we have had half a century of immigration per head in a little more over a decade.

Most of the money that is generated by foreign nationals actually leaves the country than stays in it.

I remember reading in FHM that Polish Immigration as an example has generated about £300million for Britain but they send £3 Billion to their homeland.......... this was back in January.

We were never prepared for or wanted the chaos and catastrophe that Mass-Immigration has impacted Ireland socially & economically...................... I only feel sorry for those who worked hard and contributed because they were seen only as economic units...............never as human beings.

I think its going to get really nasty soon........ and I don't want to see the consequences of irresponsible governce that we have seen for the last 15 years.

More & more people want Ireland to be given back to the Irish.............. fears of losing our treasured Identity are rising faster than we first thought.

The next couple of years in Ireland will be truly terrible with inadequate funding for health, education, and social welfare.

On top of that the government may have to recapitalize the banks with billions.

Blame for the mess lies with the government and corporate interests who pushed the credit boom to the limit.