A chara, - I have read with some interest the series of letters in your paper relating to "Policy on Immigration". I am amazed at the manner in which some of the letters addressed the experience of emigration and how it has affected Irish people. It is not true to suggest that Irish people emigrated to America or Britain in order to respond to the demands of the labour market in those countries. Most Irish people emigrated because of poverty and economic necessity. They emigrated in order to address their own lack of finance and in many cases to earn money to send home to reduce the financial distress of the rest of the family. "The letter" from London, New York etc., was an essential source of income into many Irish homes over the past century. Many Irish emigrants were unable to return home in the 1940s and 1950s because of the domestic demands on their finances. Money from Irish emigrants has played a significant part in the creation of Ireland today.
Being rejected by the "host country" is part of the experience of most immigrants. Because of the discrimination and exclusion experience by Irish people in Britain the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) commissioned a report on this matter and this professional and well researched report is depressing reading for Irish people.
Now that Ireland is enjoying an amount of financial success I suggest that consideration should be given to the following issues -
1. It is important that the Irish Government acknowledges and supports Irish agencies throughout the world which care for the welfare needs and accommodation of Irish emigrants.
2. The Irish Government should ensure that policies are put in place to enable elderly and isolated Irish people to return home and live in the country they love. This will enable them to overcome the hurt, anger and exclusion they felt on the day they had to '`take the boat."
3. We are not learning from own experiences of exclusion and discrimination if we treat immigrants to Ireland in a hostile manner or in the manner that Irish emigrants were treated in the past. - Yours, etc., Jerry Kivlehan OMI, London Irish Centre, Camden Square,
London NW1.