Madam, - The Central Statistics Office has projected that this State will need approximately 45,000 immigrant workers each year for the next 12 years to maintain a 3 to 5 per cent economic growth rate. Needless to say, this forecast was welcomed by the business sector.
Why do we need this rate of growth and, more importantly, who would benefit from such growth? Nobody can deny that the recent economic expansion has brought real benefits to a large number of Irish people and has been embraced without criticism by almost all the political establishment and the vast bulk of the trade union leadership.
However, such an approach to economic development has its drawbacks. Currently, 37 per cent of our workforce is engaged in the low-wage sector of the economy and we have over 4 per cent unemployment. This sector of the economy includes large numbers of immigrant workers. So does the black economy, for which no accurate figures are to hand. The CSO seems to suggest that we continue to trundle down this road of cheap non-union labour, resulting in long work hours, short holidays or none, and a growing gap between rich and poor. In other words, we should continue to hitch our economic wagon to the US system of monopoly capitalism.
All that this policy will achieve is to allow the wealthy to use their increased profits to further their political influence and to use this influence in the political establishments of Europe so that all aspects of society can be reduced to economy for economy's sake. It takes no account of our quality of life as Irish citizens and how it affects us as a small, indigenous population on a small island. It takes no account of anything but aimless, unplanned greed. - Yours, etc.,
SIMON O'DONNELL, Church Place, Rathmines, Dublin 6.