The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Mary Coughlan today announced she will put restrictions in place to block immigrants from claiming social welfare following the enlargement of the European Union.
Ms Coughlan said the move resulted from concerns that Ireland would remain the only country that had not put in place protections for its welfare system in advance of May 1st.
If agreed, restrictions could be imposed within weeks under the Social Welfare Bill. Ms Coughlan said she was holding talks with ministers in relevant departments, and would "shortly" be bringing a full set of proposals forward.
Ms Coughlan said the changes she would be proposing to the social welfare code would be "no less robust" than those introduced in Britain. Yesterday, the British government announced a two-year welfare ban on migrants from new EU states.
"I have said before that I will not allow our social welfare system to become overburdened and I will be taking the precaution of ring fencing that system of social protection," Ms Coughlan said.