Sir – Bertie Ahern’s piece does a good job of identifying the different types of migrant arriving into Ireland and doesn’t ignore the fact that the increase in population causes pressure on services (“Incumbent governments sometimes forget that elections are about the future”, Opinion & Analysis, November 20th).
What he doesn’t mention is the impact on social cohesion and our culture and sense of identity.
The last census showed that nearly one in five of the population was born outside Ireland.
This includes people who are here for decades, who may have become more Irish than the Irish themselves, it will include the children of Irish people who lived abroad and have returned home, and it will include those valued healthcare workers that we rely upon.
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But we are surely arriving at a tipping point where the numbers become too great for successful integration to take place which results in the formation of parallel communities.
An analogy for immigration is that it is like having guests come to stay in your home. A few guests who fit right in, with a little bit of adjustment on all sides, and all can be well. Too many guests, some of whom just do their own thing, and your house no longer feels like your home.
All the political parties are talking about is systems and processing times.
Where’s the vision for an Ireland that is welcoming, but that still feels like home? – Yours, etc,
E BOLGER,
Dublin 9.