50,000 people from new EU states have come here to work

Some 50,000 immigrants from the 10 new EU states have come to work in Ireland since May, latest figures from the Department of Social and Family Affairs show.

Almost half of the new EU citizens seeking work in the State are Polish, while only a handful of immigrants have arrived from the more southern European states of Cyprus, Slovenia and Malta.

Up to the third week in November, 49,710 workers from the 10 states had registered with the Department. The vast majority, 23,552, came from Poland. Lithuanians were the next largest group with 10,557 immigrants, while just 22 Cypriots have come seeking work in the State.

The figures have been collated from the Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSN) held by the Department. Any prospective worker, including Irish nationals, must apply for a PPSN before they beginning work in the State.

The total number of immigrants from the new EU States is not reflected in the figures as only workers are counted. A spokeswoman for the Department said it was unlikely that people would stay in Ireland if they were not working.

"The only real reason to come here would be to work as they wouldn't be eligible for social welfare immediately. There may be a small number of people who anticipated getting a job and didn't, but most people seemed to have researched the job market before they come."

Family members who had come to Ireland but were not working, would also fall outside the figures, the spokeswoman said. Anecdotal evidence indicated the new workers were largely young and single.

The numbers arriving were broadly in line with what was expected, she said, and were not affecting Irish job-seekers.

"There's certainly been no huge influx; nothing like the scare stories that predicted hundreds of thousands.

"From speaking to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, it would seem the people arriving have no difficulties finding work and they're not impinging on Irish people or throwing Irish people out of jobs."

New arrivals

Total 49,710

Poland 23,552

Lithuania 10,557

Latvia 5,257

Slovakia 4,189

Czech Republic 2,871

Hungary 1,614

Estonia 1,475

Malta 115

Slovenia 58

Cyprus 22