Tag Archive for: irish times

IMMIGRATION TO IRELAND HITS 17-YEAR HIGH ACCORDING TO DATA RELEASED BY THE CENTRAL STATISTICS OFFICE

IMMIGRATION TO IRELAND HITS 17-YEAR HIGH ACCORDING TO DATA RELEASED BY THE CENTRAL STATISTICS OFFICE

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has published data that shows that 149,200 people have immigrated to Ireland in the 12-month period between April 2023 and April 2024. Of these numbers, 30,000 were returning Irish citizens, 27,000 were EU citizens, and 5,400 were UK citizens. 86,800 immigrants were citizens of other countries.

In response, the Taoiseach Simon Harris has said that the government need to do more to prepare Ireland for population growth.

The figures released by the CSO reveal that the number of immigrants entering Ireland during this period was the highest since the period between April 2006 and April 2007.

The population of Ireland is now estimated to be 5.38 million, increasing by 98,700 since 2023.

The CSO also published data showing that more than 69,000 people emigrated in the same period. Of that figure, 34,700 were Irish citizens, 10,600 were EU citizens, and 21,500 were citizens of other countries. An estimated 10,600 people moved from Ireland to Australia; an increase of 126%, which represents the highest level of emigration to Australia since 2013. Just 6,400 people moved from Australia to Ireland. 15,200 people also left Ireland to live in the UK, while 20,500 people moved to Ireland from the UK.

Those aged between 25 and 44 accounted for 48% of all emigrants. According to the CSO, the number of emigrants from countries outside of the EU has risen by 49%, when compared to the 14,400 in 2023, however a significant number of these were Ukrainian.

According to the Irish Times, there were a positive net migration of 79,300 people in the 12-month period. There was also a natural increase of 19,400 people in the State, made up of 54,200 births and 34,800 deaths.

Speaking about the population growth in the State, Taoiseach Simon Harris stated, “there’s no doubt governments, the Government that I lead, will now need to do a better job in terms of forward planning, preparing for population growth, wondering what that means for public services, what that means for investment, what that means for staffing levels.” He also emphasised that “Inward migration is a good thing. We should be very clear about that. What Ireland needs to do is make sure it has the systems in place to properly process people, to provide people who are coming seeking international protection with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ more quickly.”

The full Irish Times article can be accessed here:

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2024/08/27/immigration-to-ireland-hits-17-year-high-as-emigration-also-rises/#:~:text=Figures%20for%20year%20to%20April,State%20in%20three%20successive%20years&text=Some%20149%2C200%20people%20immigrated%20to,Central%20Statistics%20Office%20(CSO)

FAMILY MEMBERS OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS EXCLUDED FROM PRIORITY EXCEPTIONS TO THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF VISA APPLICATIONS

Irish healthcare workers have shared their experiences of being on the frontline during this Covid-19 Pandemic in a recently published Irish Times Article.

Particularly worrying to us here at Berkeley Solicitors, was the experience of the Medical Registrar in the State during Covid-19.

The medical registrar details that neither he nor his wife, who is also frontline staff as a doctor in a HSE hospital, have family here in Ireland and that visa applications for his parents to join the family in the State were recently refused by INIS.

Healthcare staff around Ireland are working tirelessly in hospitals and other healthcare settings. The doctor discloses that he and his wife are currently rostered between 84 to 91 hours a week. This, coupled with the fact that they have a 10 month old son who can no longer attend his creche, means that this family is being placed under an extraordinary amount of pressure, urgently needing the help and support of close family members during this pandemic.

On 21st March 2020, the Immigration Service Delivery (formerly INIS) announced that specific priority/emergency cases would be accepted as an exception to the temporary suspension of visa application procedures.

Visa applications made by family members of healthcare professionals in Ireland are not included as priority/emergency cases at this time.

We have previously voiced concerns on the closure of a number of Embassies, Consulates and VFS Global Ireland which has raised a huge amount of uncertainty on the process of applying for these emergency visas.

We would also question the Department’s policy of prohibiting family members of healthcare workers, such as the parents of doctors in Ireland or other close family members of medical professionals, to apply for visas to travel to the State.

Medical professionals are being called on to put their work and the lives of individuals all around Ireland ahead of the safety and well-being of their own families and as highlighted in this article, are doing so without proper or appropriate child care or the support of their family.

Unfortunately, this situation is likely to resonate with a large number of families and individuals resident in Ireland.

We would call on the Department to consider the needs of healthcare workers during this time and recognise the difficulties healthcare workers are facing by not having familial support systems in the State during the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you or any family member are affected by this issue, Berkeley Solicitors would be happy to further advise any medical practitioners who might require support of their family members during the crisis and wish to have their family members in the State with them.