Sir, – Dr Kevin Ryan (May 5th) is quite right in his assertion that according to the dubious logic of neo-liberal economics, if an able-bodied man from Eritrea wants to work in a German factory for €2 a day, it is inefficient to prevent him from doing so. Economists from developing countries tend to be less enchanted by the simplicities of neo-liberalism and point out that that Eritrean's personal decision may have a sub-optimal outcome for the old and the young of the country from which he has come.
If an Eritrean with a PhD in economics wanted to come to Ireland to sell his skills, his skills would not help him gain entry, unless they are needed by the IT industry. In fact, any IT skills would qualify such a migrant for consideration for a work permit. The implication is that, even with 10 per cent unemployment (even higher among the young), we cannot train enough programmers, but we have no need of economists, because the ones we have are so outstanding. Some judgemental people might think that the failings of our native economists were a major cause of the crash and that a smattering of economists from the developing world might introduce some variety to the ideological monoculture of Irish economics.
I suggest that the Irish Economic Association lobby the Government to have their profession included on the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List, so as to demonstrate their own enthusiasm to work in a globalised labour market such as they advocate for everyone else. That would reassure those, like taxi drivers and computer programmers, who are already competing in a globalised labour market, that there is not one rule for the elites and another for the plebs. – Yours, etc,
TIM O’HALLORAN,
Dublin 11.