This is a broadly representative sample of recent readers' letters, e-mails and online comments. Some letters have been edited.
I hear people saying, "we should send them back to where they came from", or "they [ are] not good for our culture". Ten per cent of the population is from overseas. Take it out, send them back to their homes, and I am pretty sure that Ireland will really see its economy fall.
- Claudio, Brazil
Enough is enough. I am fed up of Romanians begging on every street corner. We have our own people homeless and hungry. We as a nation are a soft touch. Our so-called Government has left us in a right mess. It is time to stop this madness.
- Jo, Cork
I certainly don't want to see Ireland become a colony of Nigeria or any other country for that matter, due to the flood of people coming here on a daily basis. The country can no longer support this and it's placing a strain on our services.
- Keith, Ireland
In 1990, I emigrated to London as one of the last emigrants in pre-Celtic Tiger days. I just left London to move back to live in Mayo two months ago.
I went to Dublin for a weekend, I was walking down O'Connell Street and Henry Street. To my profound shock, these streets were filled by a vast number of immigrants and I saw much less Irish people in Dublin. The immigrant issue needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. London and the rest of UK are badly affected by a chronic immigrant problem.
- Niall, Ireland
I would welcome people of all nationalities, backgrounds and religions to come to Ireland to live and work. Multiculturalism is a wonderful thing. The irrational fear of it is in my view both racist and completely unwarranted. A society that is culturally diverse is a very healthy one. Our membership of the EU has benefited us enormously. The fact is that we need more migrant workers, not less. The economy demands it.
The argument that migrants are stealing jobs from the Irish is simply not true. Migrants are willing to do the jobs Irish people are not willing to do themselves. Sometimes I get the feeling that many people here would like to go back to the "good-ol' days" before immigration and migration. Well, in my opinion that viewpoint is misguided and deeply worrying.
- Conor, Ireland
I live in Ballyhaunis in Co Mayo and I am absolutely shocked at the way our Government has allowed immigration to tear our country apart. The Muslim immigrant population in Ballyhaunis is swelling to unprecedented levels never seen in this rural part of Ireland before.
- Gerry S, Ireland
I have been following your articles with considerable interest. It is fascinating to read how Irish society is changing, and changing so dramatically. I was asked recently by a friend if I had any non-nationals in my immediate circle of friends and I was ashamed to admit that I don't.
Being a working mum is demanding and I just don't seem to come across non-nationals in a social environment. While I would be the first to admit that the social life might not be the best, I was embarrassed to be asked such a question. Are we cosseted? I think so. I think things will be different for the next generation, as I hear my children talk a lot about children from different countries, their culture and traditions.
- Anonymous, Ireland
The Irish way of life and culture are under severe attack with so many immigrants being granted resident status in our country. I agree with and support sustainable levels of immigration and the granting of refugee status to those deserving.
However, one in 12 foreigners granted resident status is too great a number for such a small country as ours to absorb without major difficulties down the track.
- Aiden Magee, Ireland
As a Japanese student living in Dublin, I read with great interest your article on immigration dated May 30th. It's not too much to say that such an enviable economy has been brought about by so many immigrants from various countries, as some people mentioned in your piece. It is also a fact that this country won't be able to avoid their integration without trouble from now on.
In my opinion, few people have seriously considered these problems of immigration connected to racism. Since coming to Dublin, I have been attacked by several Irish teenagers on a number of occasions.
This directly contradicts the official political line taken during the election which was to leave the issue well enough alone. What is necessary is, of course, for the politicians to show leadership on this subject.
There are many elephants in the room of Irish society but this particular creature has the capacity to hurt both international and Irish people in the near future.
- M Akahori, Ireland