A chara, - Over the past 150 years, millions of Irish people have emigrated to the US and Britain, but it is not enough just to return the favour to the thousands of immigrants now flocking to our shores.
There were no systems of support or counselling in place for those Irish who emigrated. As workers they were exploited. With no policy of integration in place, they created closed communities in which the social problems associated with poverty and displacement (alcoholism, family violence, vandalism) were rife. Generations later this vicious circle is still repeating itself in many Irish-American families. And the Irish had no language barrier to contend with.
Yet "let them all in" remains what is regarded as a "liberal" policy in Ireland - let them in, let them work, let them get on with it. We call ourselves a generous nation and yet this is the most liberal policy we boast - give people what are their basic human rights anyway.
Complacency, arrogance, laziness, greed, call it what you will, the fact remains that we are a nation without vision, without any sense of innovation. We are prepared to meet any offer, but never better it; we will follow European precedent rather than create it; we will scurry in the wake of the global powers rather than lead them; we will say proudly that our policies are "as good as . . .", but why should that not be "are better than . . ."?
We are not doing our duty by allowing immigrants to land on our shores. We are not even doing our duty by allowing them to work. Our duty is to provide not only what all our ancestors were given in the past but also all they were not given for so long: acceptance, recognition, respect, trust, pride.
We have an incredible opportunity before us - to learn from the mistakes of others. Ireland, "the island of saints and scholars" was once an inspiration for the rest of the world. We could be so again, not merely because of our gross national profit, but because of the way we live with and around one another. Happiness, hope, dignity, pride - or depression, despair, servility and shame. The next few years will decide which path our society will take, which circle we will set in motion.
Our duty is to make the right choice. - Is mise,
Mairead Ni Chroinin, Woodquay, Galway.