Gablaim buíochas leat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar seo a phlé.
A number of disturbing reports have been issued this year on the condition and status of some of our Irish emigrants in Britain, particularly in London. The latest of these reports, launched at a reception in the House of Commons yesterday, entitled "An Agenda for Change" was commissioned by Haringey Council in North London. The findings of this report make sad and alarming reading, showing that the Irish, as a group, are among the most disadvantaged and discriminated against ethnic minorities in Britain.
The report concentrates on three main areas of concern, namely, health, housing and unemployment and indicates that the Irish population die younger than any other group in the United Kingdom. In fact it shows that their mortality rate is 20 per cent above that of the United Kingdom population in the 20 to 69-year old age group. The report also indicates that they have a shorter life expectancy than those who remain in Ireland. The Irish are the only migrant group whose life expectancy worsens on arrival in Britain. For all other migrant groups life expectancy increases on arrival there.
Another disturbing finding is that Irish emigrants in Britain had higher rates of psychiatric admission than any other ethnic group.
The position in respect of housing is alarming. Again the Irish, along with the Bangladeshi community, were found to have the lowest share of owner/ occupation, that is 34 per cent in the case of the Irish and 32 per cent in the case of the Bangladeshis. The report further indicates that the Irish and Asian communities were the groups most likely to be living in unfit accommodation. Both groups also suffer high levels of disadvantage in terms of lacking or sharing basic housing amenities. The incidence of homelessness is another indicator of the Irish experience of disadvantage in Britain. In addition, they constitute a disproportionate share of the single homeless in Britain.
In the 1981 United Kingdom Census there were shown to be 850,000 Irish-born people resident in Britain. The size of the Irish population in Britain increased substantially throughout the eighties on account of large-scale emigration from here. It is estimated that 500,000 people emigrated from Ireland in the past decade. It is also estimated that the majority of these people emigrated to Britain. In fact the Irish comprise one of Britain's largest ethnic minority communities. However, in the last Census of Population taken in Britain on 21 April last, everybody resident there was requested to identify their ethnic group but the format of the question did not include an Irish category. The fact that the Irish there are not officially recognised as a distinct ethnic group is a severe handicap to them.
The main national body in Britain charged with responsibility for race relations is the Commission for Racial Equality. However, because of the fact that we are not recognised as an ethnic minority, we do not come within the jurisdiction and protection of that commission. All ethnic groups are entitled to certain quotas related to their numbers in the areas of employment, housing, education, health and so on but the Irish are excluded from tapping into these quotas.
The Irish Government should make it one of their urgent objectives to have this recognition extended to the Irish in Britain as soon as possible. It should be taken up at inter-governmental level as such recognition and status would extend the protection of the Commission for Racial Equality to Irish people resident in Britain and would grant them the same rights and benefits as other ethnic groups. It would mean that the Irish would be constantly monitored in all monitoring programmes conducted by the Commission.
Irish Government funding for those in the front line working with our emigrants in the UK is channelled through DÍON. The total grant has been frozen for the past two years at £500,000. In view of the economic recession in Britain and the hardships experienced by our people there, the Government must consider increasing the allocation in the coming budget. I am not stating that more money will solve the problems and lessen hardships, but it would at least give some encouragement to those people and organisations working with and for the welfare of our emigrants. When the economic situation begins to improve in the UK we can once more expect a steep increase in the number of our people heading there, particularly when there are so few employment opportunities at home. It is imperative that we should have a comprehensive and effective programme in our schools at post-primary level illustrating and explaining the difficulties faced by Irish people seeking employment in Britain and elsewhere. Inadequate preparation is cited by many as one of the main reasons why many of our people find themselves in such difficulties in Britain.
We must be grateful to Haringey Council for commissioning this report and also to the Action Group for Irish Youth in London for their surveys, particularly their report earlier this year on the plight of the Irish in London. As politicians we would be failing in our duty if we did not do everything in our power to see that these recommendations were implemented.
