A significant minority of Irish emigrants to the United Kingdom still fall on hard times, a report published today claimed.
The report commissioned by the NGO Emigrant Advice found that an estimated 400 newly arrived Irish people accessed a range of welfare and housing services run for the Irish in the United Kingdom in the 18 months previous to July 2005.
Reasons given for people leaving Ireland included family breakdown, violence and threats of violence, escaping prejudice, making a fresh start after leaving prison, and the belief that there was better drug treatment services in United Kingdom.
According to Joe O'Brien, Information and Outreach Officer with Emigrant Advice, many leave for the United Kingdom without adequate preparation.
"Our target group is those who are most vulnerable who are contemplating emigrating from Ireland," he said. "An effect of being ill-prepared for emigration is that vulnerable emigrants face new circumstances which exacerbate their vulnerability, including homelessness, prostitution and access to drugs on the street".
The Central Statistics Office estimates that in the year between April 2004 and April 2005, 4,100 Irish people emigrated to the United Kingdom.
Emigrant Advice offers a free and confidential information and advocacy service for intending emigrants and returning Irish emigrants. The group is a programme of Crosscare, the Dublin Diocese Social Care Agency.
The research was funded by the Irish Abroad Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and was carried out in co-operation with Irish organisations in the United Kingdom.
