Sir, – Concerning your recent reports on the abrupt termination of the Irish residency by investment programmes, I submit that the Irish Government is shirking its responsibilities in the matter and acting hypocritically (“The Irish Times view on the Immigrant Investor Programme: residency for sale”, February 8th).
The Government suddenly characterises applicants to these programmes, which it fostered and profited from for years, as “wealthy people” with “no significant links to the State” who have the apparent audacity to buy residency as if it were a “commodity”.
Surprise, surprise.
Who set up the programme and set the terms for it?
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It also seems to be scapegoating agents who helped the Government facilitate entry into the programme, focusing on a claimed lack of transparency which, if it existed at all, it was content to overlook for years.
Coincidentally, The Irish Times has also recently been reporting on the exodus of young people dissatisfied with job opportunities and housing costs but also with the lack of artistic and cultural options (some of which those wealthy immigrants were financing), along with complaints of Ireland being a “monoculture” that handles immigration poorly.
Singling out the Chinese as being the main participants in these residency schemes and citing that as a justification for terminating the programs has some odour of xenophobia about it.
Ireland was very happy to take that Chinese money for years, even though they have always been the main participants.
What changed?
Maybe those young people are right. – Yours, etc,
DAVID RORVIK,
Vancouver,
US.
