More than 13,000 Romanians have come to Ireland since their country joined the European Union at the beginning of the year, the latest official figures suggest. However, just 110 work permits have been issued to Romanian nationals in the same period. Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, Migration Correspondent, reports.
Romanians are restricted from working here unless they have a work permit or are self-employed, although they now have freedom of movement within the EU.
According to the Department of Social and Family Affairs, some 13,225 Romanians were issued with personal public service (PPS) numbers between January and the end of October, making them the third-largest category of recipients after those from Ireland and Poland.
But the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment says only 110 work permits, including 24 renewals, have been allocated to Romanians over roughly the same period.
It is not known how many of those who came to Ireland have since returned home, and it is also unclear how many are students, dependent spouses or workers in the black economy. A Government measure introduced to prevent "welfare tourism" means that Romanians and other EU accession country nationals cannot claim social welfare unless they have lived in Ireland for two years or more.
A spokesman for the Romanian embassy said anecdotal evidence suggested many of those who were living here before January 1st were joined by family members after that date. The theory is strengthened by the monthly breakdown of PPS number allocations: over 6,000 were issued in the first three months of 2007 and the figures have been significantly lower since then.
"Some of them might be ignorant about the employment regulations and apply for a PPS number thinking that is all they need to work. But when they find out they need a work permit, many of them return home," the spokesman added.
The Government's decision to restrict labour market access for Bulgarians and Romanians was due mainly to the scale of immigration from central and eastern Europe since the 2004 enlargement round.
Statistics on PPS numbers are only an indicator of inward migration flows, however, and do not show how many holders have since left the country. The latest figures show that, so far this year, citizens from Poland have received 71,986, followed by Romania, the United Kingdom (11,724), Lithuania (9,654), Slovakia (7,578) and France(6,471).
"We said the restrictions would not work - people would come and work illegally instead," said Vasile Ros, chair of the Romanian Community of Ireland.
