Sir, - The Dublin Welfare Rights Group is seriously concerned at the recent near hysteria about asylum seekers and other immigrants coming to Ireland. Descriptions such as "influx" and "deluge" as well as reports linking immigrants with thieving and begging have contributed to an atmosphere where racist ideas are growing.
Inches of columns space and hours of radio talk shows have been devoted to allegations of such people milking the system by claiming our "generous" social welfare payments. The impression given is that on arrival here, thousands of pounds are heaped upon them. It is necessary to dispel these myths.
The facts are that a single adult may claim a weekly Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) of £62.40. A couple may claim £100.90 between them and £13.20 per child. Immigrants do not receive more generous payments than Irish claimants. SWA is the minimum payment available and it is officially recognised that recipients of SWA live below the poverty line. Asylum seekers have no options but to claim SWA as they are not allowed to take up employment despite many of them being highly qualified and highly skilled and capable of providing a valuable contribution to our society. It is farcical to suggest that these people freely choose to abandon their professions and standing in their countries to live below the poverty line in an atmosphere of hostility and prejudice in Ireland.
Asylum seekers have been further accused of taking local authority houses from needy Irish families on waiting lists when in fact they are not even eligible to apply for local authority housing. Because of the shortage of available accommodation, as well as a reluctance on the part of many private landlords to accept foreign tenants or tenants claiming Rent Supplement, immigrants reluctantly remain homeless in emergency accommodation for weeks or months on end.
While there has been an increase in the number of asylum seekers living in Ireland the number is virtually insignificant in terms of the 30 million displaced people worldwide. Immigrants are being scapegoated as a drain on our resources in the same way as lone parents, the long term unemployed and travellers have been scapegoated in the recent past. We should be providing the services they need and targeting poverty itself rather than the victims of poverty. - Yours, etc.,
Dublin Welfare Rights Group,
Dublin 17.