Immigration, the Celtic Tiger and the economic crisis

Abstract

This article addresses the puzzle of why Ireland has proved so open to immigration. It compares responses to immigrants in the Republic of Ireland during the Celtic Tiger era and during the post-2008 economic crisis and finds no evidence of a political backlash during the latter period even though opinion polls suggest that opposition to immigration had increased and other evidence suggested that there had been an increase in racist incidents within Irish society. Nor did the resumption of large-scale emigration trigger political hostility to immigrants. The outcome of the 2004 Referendum on Citizenship, which removed a constitutional right to Irish citizenship to the Irish-born children of immigrants, suggested that that nationalism still matters hugely and a latent tendency towards ethnic chauvinism amongst the host population. Yet, a decade after the 2004 Referendum it looked as if the old mono-ethnic sense conception of the Irish nation had been disrupted, at least a little bit.

Keywords:

• Celtic Tiger
• citizenship
• economic crisis
• immigration
• nationalism

Notes

1. For a demographic overview see Gilmartin, Changing Landscape of Irish Migration, 10.

2. O’Connell and Joyce, International Migration in Ireland, 27.

3. O’Toole, Ship of Fools, 17.

4. “New Anti-immigrant Party Hopes to Tap into General Malaise,” Metro Éireann, February 1, 2014. The online archive of all Metro Éireann articles, which includes all those cited here, is available at http://www.metroeireann.com

5. McGinnity et al., Annual Monitoring Report, 65–6.

6. Crowley, Hidden Messages, Overt Agendas.

7. Mullaly, “Children, Citizenship and Constitutional Change,” 31–7.

8. Fanning and Mutwarasibo, “Nationals/Non-nationals,” 450.

9. See O’Malley, “Why is there No Radical Right Party in Ireland?”; Garner, “Ireland and Immigration,” 109–30.

10. McGinnity et al., Annual Monitoring Report, 65–6.

11. Marsh and Sinnott, Irish National Election Survey, 138.

12. Malešević, “Irishness and Nationalisms,” 17.

13. Billig, Banal Nationalism.

14. Malešević, “Irishness and Nationalisms,” 19.

15. Anderson, Imagined Communities cited in Malešević, “Irishness and Nationalisms,” 19.

16. National Social and Economic Council, Managing Migration in Ireland, 6.

17. Ibid., 96.

18. Ibid., 148.

19. Office of the Minister for Integration, Migration Nation, 8.

20. “Lenihan Gets Nigerian Advisor,” Metro Éireann, June 26, 2008.

21. For a comparative analysis see Huddleston et al., Migration Integration Policy Index.

22. Fanning, Howard, and O’Boyle, “Immigrant Candidates and Politics,” 420–42.

23. Chinedu Onyejelem, “Iwodu Gets a Boost from FF Minister,” Metro Éireann, May 7, 2009.

24. Crowley, Hidden Messages, Overt Agendas.

25. For case studies on the experiences of vulnerable migrants see reports by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, available at http://www.mrci.ie

26. Crowley, Hidden Messages, Overt Agendas, 11.

27. “Little Joy for Chinese Seeking Irish Work Permits,” Metro Éireann, January 29, 2009.

28. Cited in Crowley, Hidden Messages, Overt Agendas, 11.

29. Ibid., 12.

30. Catherine O’Reilly, “Citizenship Risk for Jobless Migrants,” Metro Éireann, June 25, 2009.

31. Catherine O’Reilly, “Road to Nowhere – Dept Admits Drivers Penalty Points Count against Citizenship Applications,” Metro Éireann, November 11, 2009.

32. Cited in Crowley, Hidden Messages, Overt Agendas, 11.

33. Catherine Reilly, “Report Highlights Barriers to Welfare Faced by Immigrants,” Metro Éireann, March 1, 2012.

34. “New Rules for Redundant Migrants,” Metro Éireann, September 3, 2009; “Gov Grants Reprieve for Undocumented Migrants,” Metro Éireann, September 17, 2009.

35. Chinedu Onyejelem, “Govt Lifts Work Restrictions on Bulgarian, Romanian Nationals,” Metro Éireann, August 1, 2012.

36. Huddleston et al., Migration Integration Policy Index, 106–10.

37. McGinnity et al., Annual Monitoring Report, 45.

38. Catherine O’Reilly, “There’s No Black or White Ireland,” Metro Éireann, May 27, 2010.

39. Catherine O’Reilly, “Racism Growing Nationwide Says Prominent Immigrant,” Metro Éireann, August 15, 2012.

40. Fanning, Kiloran, and Ní Bhroin, Taking Racism Seriously.

41. “Racism has Fallen off Ireland’s Political Agenda,” Metro Éireann, March 1, 2011.

42. “‘Controversy Will Not Rest’ Until Scully Quits Council Says Critic,” Metro Éireann, December 1, 2011.

43. Rashid Butt, “When Will Fine Gael Expel Cllr Scully?,” Metro Éireann, December 15, 2011.

44. “‘Racist Remarks’ Ex-Mayor Loses FG Party Whip,” Metro Éireann, March 1, 2012.

45. “Citizenship Stats Show 14,000 Refusals in 4 Years,” Metro Éireann, July 1, 2013.

46. Nicole Antoine, “New Citizens Express their Delight at Ireland’s Largest Oath Ceremony,” Metro Éireann, July 15, 2013.

47. Chinedu Onyejelem, “Immigration: Welcomes and Goodbyes – Enda Praises New Citizens,” Metro Éireann, February 15, 2012.

48. Catherine O’Reilly, “Ceemex Bows Out After More than 10 Years at Forefront of Immigration Law,” Metro Éireann, March 6, 2013.

49. McGinnity et al., Annual Monitoring Report, 47.

50. Chinedu Onyejelem, “Govt Nets €50m in 5 Years from Citizenship Fees,” Metro Éireann, August 1, 2013.

51. Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (November 2014) cited in O’Connell and Joyce, International Migration in Ireland, 49.

52. See Fanning, Racism and Social Change.