Just 1,300 migrant workers from EU accession countries, or 1 per cent of the total number who arrived here since May 2004, have applied for unemployment benefit or assistance, new figures show.
The figures challenge fears of "welfare tourism", which prompted the Government to impose a two-year ban on migrant workers from obtaining social assistance.
An unpublished breakdown of live register figures, seen by The Irish Times, indicates that 133,258 people from accession countries have moved here, based on the total number of Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSN) issued between May 2004 and September 2005.
A total of 1,300 people from EU accession states have claimed unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance. However, just 625 of these are in receipt of assistance, while 693 are not receiving any payment.
In a relaxation of the two-year social assistance restrictions, Minister for Social Affairs Séamus Brennan is expected to announce shortly that migrant workers who have worked in the State for a period of time will be entitled to some social welfare benefits.
The move is partly in response to reports of poverty and hardship among some migrant workers, as well as European Commission concerns over the legality of aspects of the welfare restrictions.
Official figures show the majority of migrant workers from accession states who have been issued with PPSN numbers have come from Poland (70,000), Lithuania (25,500), Latvia (12,600), Slovakia (11,100) and the Czech Republic (6,291).
Through cross-referencing PPSN records with Revenue Commissioners' records, officials have also been able to determine the averages earnings of accession-country workers.
A preliminary exercise sampling records for 37,400 workers found that average weekly earnings for workers in 2004 were €418.75, or around €21,700 a year.
Support groups for migrant workers, such as the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, have reported that those who have lost their jobs, suffered injury or been exploited have faced acute short-term difficulties due to the absence of social assistance.
A report to be published shortly by the Homeless Agency - the body which plans and administers State funds for homeless organisations in Dublin - is expected to report that all service providers have detected an increase in demand from citizens of accession countries.
In an unpublicised move, the Government recently relaxed welfare restrictions - known as the habitual residence condition - to allow the spouses of migrant workers who have worked here to draw child benefit.
Further changes are expected to be made which would involve allowing migrant workers who have been employed here for a set period of time to draw social welfare benefits.
