Polish Immigrants and the Challenges of Political Incorporation in the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

Poles constitute the largest immigrant community in the Republic of Ireland and, according to the 2011 census, more than 2.5 per cent of its population. Polish has become the country's second most commonly spoken language. Notwithstanding efforts by immigrant organisations, most notably Forum Polonia, and efforts by Polish candidates to contest local government elections in 2009 and 2014, the current picture is one of chronic under-representation. Bloemraad's model of ‘structured mobilisation’ suggests two principal routes for immigrant political incorporation: (i) mobilisation via the ethnic community itself (ethnic organisations and community leaders) and (ii) mobilisation via mainstream actors (political parties). In respect of the first, we examine efforts by the Polish community in Ireland to mobilise voters and garner support for Polish candidates in the 2014 local elections. In respect of the second, we draw on 10 years of longitudinal research on responsiveness by Irish political parties to immigrants. 2014 witnessed a sharp decline in efforts by political parties to reach out to immigrants entitled to vote compared to 2009. This institutional response, we suggest, had much to do with justifiable perceptions that immigrants were unlikely to mobilise, register to vote in large numbers or exercise their franchise.

Keywords:

• Ireland
• Poles
• immigrants
• political incorporation
• local elections

Notes

1 The School for Leaders Association received about 100,000 Euro from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland as a result of a competition that aimed at ‘cooperation with Polonia and the Poles who live abroad in 2014'. The project was to be implemented in the following countries: the UK, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. (Section IV, Nr 4.1. Wzmacnianie i aktywizacja środowisk polskich w krajach zamieszkania [Strengthening and activation of the Polish communities in the country of residence] Registration Nr. 220/2014) http://msz.gov.pl/resource/ab3f1be4-768d-46de-bbc1-14256e140c65:JCR

2 In Ireland, interviews with Wieczorkowska were published in Polish (Polska Gazeta newspaper, Irlandia.ie, Gazeta.ie) and English (Sunday Business Post, Northside People, Metro, The Irish Times, The Journal.ie). Agnieszka gave interviews to Dublin City FM Radio, Newstalk Radio (Global Village), PLKa (Polish Radio in Ireland), Polska Tygodniówka, and NEAR FM. There were also articles about Wieczorkowska and other candidates in the media in Poland, such as in Polonia TV and in the Metro Warsaw Newspaper.

3 An open letter to the Rt Hon Mr David Cameron about the demonstration on 24 February 2014 to stop discrimination of Poles in the UK, available at: http://www.aarbd.org/open-letter.html.