IMMIGRANTS, SOCIAL INCLUSION AND SAFETY IN IRELAND Presentation to: Welcoming and integrating immigr

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IMMIGRANTS, SOCIAL INCLUSION AND SAFETY IN
IRELAND Presentation to Welcoming and
integrating immigrants at the local level
Security, Democracy and CitiesZaragoza,
SpainAki StavrouIntegrating Ireland2nd
November 2006,
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Presentation Immigrants, Social Inclusion and
Safety in Ireland

• Immigrants a recent phenomenon in Ireland.
• Social capital and participation barriers faced
  by immigrants in Ireland.
• Immigrants as a vulnerable group the Irish
  experience.
• Requirements for a safe and successful
  integration into Irish society.

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International migration an urban response to a
global issue

• International migration with its web of
  demographic, social, economic and political
  consequences are increasingly at the forefront of
  local, national, regional and international
  agendas.
• It is a multi-dimensional and cross cutting issue
  with legal, social, political institutional and
  economic dimensions.
• Although migration is a global phenomenon it
  increasingly has a local impact, and in
  particular, at the level of the city cities and
  urban areas play a pivotal role in the reception
  and integration of immigrants.
• In this context, the issue of human security, and
  migration have become intertwined and have taken
  greater prominence as issues of urban safety and
  crime prevention and are identified as one of the
  key issues of urban development and a crucial
  component of urban service delivery.

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The linkage - urban safety and social inclusion

• Urban safety is generally recognised as an issue
  of local governance and its delivery as a
  responsibility that is increasingly shared
  between national and local governments.
• The development of local capacities at municipal
  level to address and prevent urban crime, and
  reduce the incidence and impact of victimisation
  and crime on urban communities as part of urban
  development policies and strategies is crucial.
• A Safer Cities approach, that recognises
  immigrants as a special vulnerable group would
  play a key role in crime prevention strategies on
  issues such as urban security, prevention, access
  and integration
• This would also create an enabling environment
  where the social inclusion of all vulnerable and
  marginal groups, including immigrants, is
  facilitated.

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Immigration into Ireland

• Decade immigration has certainly changed Irish
  public life.
• 2002 3.1 of all those resident in Ireland were
  not born on the island of Ireland or the United
  Kingdom.
• 2002-2006 immigration into Ireland of the
  magnitude of 300,000, however, because of
  turnover the number of migrants at any one time
  is much less than this gross immigration is
  lt100,000, including /-20,000 returning Irish.
• October 2006 8 of the workforce and 7 of the
  population were not born on the island of Ireland
  or the United Kingdom.
• Less than 2.7 of those resident in Ireland were
  not born in the EU.
• Numbers whether we include EU citizens are small.
• Recent absolute increase in numbers in such a
  short period has been phenomenally high.

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How much more Immigration official and
un-official demographics
CSOs 2031 population projections (M2F2 lower
migration scenario) Mac Éinrí Ní Laoire (UCC)
2031 population projections (M1F2 mid to high
migration scenario )

• M2 These projections are based on the CSOs
  Population and Labour Force Projections 2006-2036
  (CSO 2004)
• scenario below foresees a drop in net immigration
  to only 5,000 per annum as early as 2016. It
  would yield a very different picture for 2031.
• MI The projected percentage of foreigners in the
  Irish population in 2031 and a related issue
  concerning ethnicity, by Mac Éinrí, P. Ní Laoire
  C., Depart Geography, UCC. Gross immigration
  minus Irish return migration calculated at 10,000
  p.a. over 29 years i.e. 290,000.

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Presentation Immigrants, Social Inclusion and
Safety in Ireland

• Immigrants a recent phenomenon in Ireland.
• Social capital and participation barriers faced
  by immigrants in Ireland.
• Immigrants as a vulnerable group the Irish
  experience.
• Requirements for a safe and successful
  integration into Irish society.

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Ireland heterogenuity of Immigrants

• New communities are not homogeneous
• People seeking asylum
• Refugees
• Short/long-term labour migrants
• Oscillating labour migrants
• Students
• Returning Irish, different generation Irish born
  abroad
• EU citizens.
• No other form of immigration
• Mainstreaming into society is differentiated by
• Urgency of Need
• Economic and Wealth Status
• Academic Qualifications and Work Experience
• Language and Socio-Cultural Familiarity

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Social Capital and Immigrants

• Levels of social capital within immigrants and
  new communities is varied.
• Dependent on type of immigrants -
• Geographic origins
• Historical experiences
• Political understanding
• Civic and administrative knowledge
• Dependent on mode of entry of immigrants -
• Asylum seekers fleeing political prosecution,
  conflict or poverty
• Refugees groups or individuals
• Labour migrants recruited or opportunity
  seeking
• Social migrants - life style opportunities/change
• Ability to bond within own community and bridge
  with others, immigrants new communities or Irish
  mainstream is defined by above.

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Participation Barriers of Different Immigrant
Groups

• Asylum seekers (lt 4 all immigrants since May
  2005)
• Spatially dispersed.
• Isolated from own communities, other new
  communities and mainstream.
• Permanent status of insecurity concerning
  residential status.
• Poor, living of limited own wealth and State
  stipends.
• Unable to be economically active.
• Changing population in terms of spatial dynamic.
• Refugees (lt10 of asylum seekers get leave to
  remain and a few hundred resettled refugees in
  total represent lt 0.5 all immigrants since May
  2005, in addition once off 16,800 IBC families)
• Under pressure to become economically active.
• Under pressure to socially assimilate
  mainstreaming.
• Under pressure to normalise familial
  existence/subsistence.
• Unable to mobilise as a group reliant on
  existing support networks.
• Trends indicate return to community activism and
  development.

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Participation Barriers of Different Groups

• Labour Migrants (/- 77 all immigrants,
  including new EU states, since May 2005)
• Efforts focused on maximising work opportunities.
• Second priority is family unification.
• Constant battle with accessing benefits in a
  changing and ambiguous political environment.
• Involvement in organised movement limited to TUs
  who have been pathetically slow to take migrant
  labour on board.
• Constantly facing exploitation and need for
  information.
• Regularly face antagonism explicit and implicit
  from local labour force.
• Oscillating migrants establish contact points,
  drift into existing new communities tenure too
  limited for civic participation.
• Long-term migrants only articulate need for
  social, cultural and civic involvement when basic
  needs are met.
• Immigrants and returning Irish (/- 19 all
  immigrants, excluding new EU states, since May
  2005)
• Limited to EU, North America, Australia and New
  Zealand.
• Mainstream into all parts of Irish society
  quickly.
• Family and existing contact links good.

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Bridging into which Ireland?

• Ireland as a whole and urban Ireland as pasrt of
  this is a socially, culturally, politically and
  economically a diverse society it is not
  homogenous.
• Heterogeneity can be defined as
• Geographic - metropolitan capital city, other
  urban
• Spatial inner city, suburban, town, village,
  etc.
• Economic class and wealth, profession and
  vocation, etc.
• Social established, traditional, progressive,
  etc.
• Cultural Gaeltacht, established new
  communities, etc.
• Race white, black, etc.
• Settled or Traveller.
• When social inclusion strategies are being
  developed, which immigrants are being targeted
  for integration and inclusion into which Ireland?
  

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Presentation Immigrants, Social Inclusion and
Safety in Ireland

• Immigrants a recent phenomenon in Ireland.
• Social capital and participation barriers faced
  by immigrants in Ireland.
• Immigrants as a vulnerable group the Irish
  experience.
• Requirements for a safe and successful
  integration into Irish society.

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Vulnerability of immigrants in Ireland

• Many immigrants in Ireland are susceptible to
  negative reactions
• Xenophobia from amongst certain Irish
• Racism growing from a very small base
  targeted at immigrants of colour
• Workplace discrimination against labour
  migrants from Eastern and Central Europe
• Intolerance generally of cultural differences
• Islamophobia currently very low but on the
  rise
• Pervading amongst some Irish is a sense that
  immigrants constitute a category that gives rise
  to different forms of insecurity that they are
  supposed to create
• Take away jobs
• Take advantage of social security
• Take homes from the host population
• Take up places in schools from local children
• Get involved in drug crime and trafficking
• Cause serious traffic offenses
• Endanger the concept of Irishness
• Host populations interactions and restrictive
  responses in terms of outreach are nourished on
  this real or supposed feeling of insecurity.

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Crime and immigrants in Ireland

• In Ireland the political debate on immigrants has
  ranged from being neutral to anti-immigrant, with
  only two minor political parties giving a
  balanced sometimes pro-immigrant message.
• Likewise the political debate on crime and
  immigrants has been non-existent, which has to be
  seen as positive.
• Media response concerning crime issues and
  immigrants are appalling Ireland hostage to UK
  media, but domestic media has been less than
  balanced on reporting crime and immigrant issues.
• Some groups of immigrants are marginalized within
  mainstream urban societies and are more likely to
  be implicated in crime than other groups, along
  with host population.

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Immigrants as perpetrators and victims of crime
in Ireland

• Immigrants are prominent or over-represented both
  perpetrators and victims in the following types
  of crime in Ireland
• Trafficking
• Narcotics trade
• Serious traffic offences
• Domestic Abuse
• Racial abuse
• Workplace exploitation
• Over-representation of immigrants reflects
• Relative poverty of some groups of immigrants
• A youthful population of young men
• Lack of understanding of criminal justice system
• Limited available evidence suggests that
  immigrants are far more likely to be victims of
  crime than to be perpetrators.
• Immigrant communities in Ireland suffer
  disproportionate levels of victimization from
  other immigrants.
• Established populations commit the mainstay of
  crime, not just in Ireland but in each EU member
  state and EU citizens are predominantly
  victimized by other EU citizens.

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Access to the criminal justice system

• Problems facing immigrants
• Very expensive legal fees amongst the highest
  in EU.
• Very complicated - limited understanding of
  system and process.
• Very lengthy process immigrants move on.
• Limited understanding of language translation
  services not always available.
• Gárda Síochána have been
• Very proactive in creating support mechanisms
• Accepted the principles of the Rotterdam Charter
• Recruitment, training and retention of police
  officers from immigrant communities
• The implementation of anti-discrimination law
  within the force
• Building bridges between ethnic minorities and
  police
• Migrant participation in crime versus police
  participation in criminalising migrants
• In addition have
• Provided access to many of the major immigrant
  languages
• Publication of road safety literature in eight
  foreign languages (incl Irish English)
• Have a good record regarding anti-racism
• Generally have the trust of most immigrants

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Presentation Immigrants, Social Inclusion and
Safety in Ireland

• Immigrants a recent phenomenon in Ireland.
• Social capital and participation barriers faced
  by immigrants in Ireland.
• Immigrants as a vulnerable group the Irish
  experience.
• Requirements for a safe and successful
  integration into Irish society.

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Local authorities in Irleand - integration and
social inclusion

• Local authorities in Ireland are concerned with
  and have put on their agendas
• Issues related to the concentration of some
  immigrant populations in high poverty urban
  areas.
• Social exclusion of immigrants from the
  mainstream.
• Local authorities in Ireland generally recognise
  that there is a
• Continued lack of understanding of the
  limitations to integration by immigrants.
• Continued lack of understanding of the safety
  issues faced by immigrants in Ireland.
• Insufficient recognition of needs of immigrants
  ability to engage in the policy process.
• Insufficient resources made available to
  immigrants to build the capacity of immigrant
  organisations to engage in social, cultural and
  political arenas.
• Limited space for immigrants to interact with
  hosts to create links to civil society.
• Local authorities ARE beginning to gather
  empirical evidence and incorporate immigrants
  into social partnerships.
• However they DO NOT HAVE an income generating
  base and are limited in terms of their response
  and must rely on central government fiscal
  resources.

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Irish state - integration and social inclusion

• The Irish State needs to actively encourage
  immigrants to build up their social capital by
  enabling them to bond internally
• Dedicated budget and funding lines for migrant
  led organisations.
• Available technical assistance and support for
  migrant led organisations.
• The Irish State needs to actively encourage
  immigrants to bridge with all aspects of
  mainstream Irish society
• Recognise that engagement takes place at local
  government levels.
• Resource and enable space to network with host
  communities.
• The Irish State needs to actively be willing to
  engage all strands and sectors of Irish society.
• Inform Irish society of the real facts and
  figures.
• Assist various Irish communities to engage with
  immigrants.

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Existing national programs in Ireland

• Community Development Support Programme and Local
  Development and Social Inclusion Programme
• Have successfully supported some community
  development initiatives at a local level.
• programmes have a strong geographic focus.
• not adequately suited to supporting minority
  ethnic group development that may tend to
  organise around ethnic, social and cultural
  issues.
• lean towards further development of existing
  infrastructure, does not lend itself to
  supporting the establishment and development of
  new immigrant organisations.
• expansion of these programmes has been halted.
• European Refugee Fund, RAPID, Dormant Accounts
  and the Equality for Women Measure
• Have successfully supported innovative community
  development initiatives
• have not adequately addressed the needs and
  development of new immigrant organisations.
• have not created budget lines in terms of funding
  for new immigrant communities.
• Have Irish government efforts been sufficient in
  supporting integration of immigrants?
• No best described as embarrassingly inadequate!
• Does the Irish government have any new
  developments planned for the near future?
• Not really recent release of headers of an
  Immigration, residency and protection bill does
  not have one single item relating to integration,
  just top-loaded with policing and immigrants
  having to prove themselves worthy of stay.

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Local Government Response Public Policies to
Immigrants and Social Inclusion

• The difficulty for local urban governments in
  Ireland is that in analysing migration trends and
  realities they are confronted by confused
  terminology, unclear concepts and very inadequate
  data.
• Statistics on migration into and immigrants
  internal migration within Ireland including
  numbers, demographic and socio-economic profiles
  - are scarce, often unreliable and usually
  incomparable between cities and regions and over
  time.
• In Ireland the circumstance of immigration of
  different categories of immigrants and
  integration and social inclusion instruments
  implemented in the various urban and community
  development areas differ from one to the next
  making it difficult to have a single or a couple
  generic models from which to choose.
• An important aspect of the implementation of
  responses and a policy formulation thereof in
  urban Ireland is to start with a cities
  definition of its immigration situation.

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Local Government Response Public Policies to
Immigrants and Safety

• With regards to crime there needs to be
  recognition, that crime affects different
  immigrant groups in different ways, as it does
  the host population and that it is perceived
  differently by people.
• Fear of crime also has different responses from
  different people and this in itself entails
  different responses and different ways of
  engaging different parts of the community.
• Issues and actions that address marginalisation
  and exclusion of immigrants should be realised in
  adoption of urban public policies and actions
  implemented in the field of urban security and
  crime prevention.
• To limit potential issues of social and cultural
  conflict, insecurity and serious rejection
  behaviors like racist attacks, harassment,
  ghettoisation, and exclusion it is important
  that issues of migration and their relationship
  and interconnection with urban safety and
  security are addressed.
• In Ireland, urban security needs to be framed
  within the larger gendre of urban migration for
  this is a crucial element shaping the
  understanding of overall policy responses and the
  priority given to them.

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Conclusion Issues of Response Public Policies

• In Ireland, urban municipalities and local
  governments generally understand and in various
  degrees are beginning to engage with the fact
  that
• Public policies influence the conditions,
  probabilities and opportunities for social
  cohesion and inclusion as much as they do for
  social exclusion and marginalisation.
• The aim of supporting local actors is in finding
  balanced approaches that support integration,
  social inclusion and crime prevention at the same
  time, without running the risk to oppose one to
  the other.
• When such policies are successful they can create
  a climate of trust and goodwill between immigrant
  communities, host population, different ethnic
  groups and religions.
• Such a climate also contributes to a subjective
  feeling of security and to greater security as
  measured by a lower crime rate and can contribute
  to the local public discourse surrounding the
  issue of immigrants and their position in
  society.
• A multi-initiative, multi-agency, multi-sector
  approach is needed which has to be supported and
  resourced by the State. Without that urban
  municipalities and local governments will fail in
  their attempts to integrate immigrants into their
  communities. Herein lies the irish challenge.

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THANK YOU