Madam, - As a native of Scotland who moved to Ireland with my family in 1997, and a former shop-steward who has now been made redundant due to my and my union's stance regarding the exploitation of migrant workers from Eastern Europe, I would like to ask for your assistance with something that has been causing me increasing frustration - the daily use of the term "non-national".
I spoke to David Begg of Ictu on this issue at the unions' conference in Belfast last June, as he himself used this term to describe migrant workers. After I explained my reasons he agreed with me. I have also spoken to several other migrant workers and we feel very strongly that this term should be stricken from the language, unless we are discussing non-national roads - i.e., roads of lesser importance than national roads.
The term "non-national" completely dismisses the nationality of all immigrants to this country, when it is used as an abbreviated term for non-Irish nationals. We are not "non-nationals"; we have nationalities and heritages we are proud of. - Yours, etc,
JIM PENDERS,
Carrigallen,
Co Leitrim.