Migrants play 'a big part' in economy

 

Minister for Integration Conor Lenihan with Merryjoy Itambo, Valerie Nolay, Junette Nzale and Rachel Iomena, all from the Democratic Republic of Congo, at the launch of the Immigrant Youth Research Project.
Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

DARINA DALY

IRELAND'S ECONOMIC success was due in no small way to our migrant workforce, particularly in areas such as the health services, Minister for Integration Conor Lenihan said yesterday.

Mr Lenihan was speaking at the launch yesterday of a new research project into the experiences of young immigrants living in Ireland.

Prof Robbie Gilligan, associate director of the Children's Research Centre (CRC) at Trinity College Dublin, said the findings of the Immigrant Youth Research Project would be valuable for public and voluntary groups working with young people.

Although there are about 120,000 young people living in Ireland who were not born in the State, immigration tends to be treated as "adults only", with employment and the economy central to discussions of the issue.

Mr Lenihan said Ireland had taken a strong approach to integration and it was his hope that we would not make the same mistakes as other countries, and proved we lived up to our reputation as an honest and open nation.

The new project, a co-initiative of Integrating Ireland and the CRC, plans to recruit and train young immigrants from around the country to help run 16 focus groups in various centres. About 150 young people will be involved, with the aim of exploring the experience of those aged 15-18 from a range of cultural backgrounds and living in different parts of the country.

Two 15-year-olds told those gathered at the launch of hopes for their futures. MerryJoy Itambo, originally from DR Congo, said as a small girl she wanted to have a glamorous life. Now she hopes to do well at school and study nursing at "a top college like Trinity". Algerian-born Abdul-Rahmen Zeroug said he hoped the study would make politicians aware of young immigrants in Ireland and not just of adults.

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