May 16, 2005

EU workers flocking to Ireland for Jobs

Ireland top target for EU migrants - Sunday Times - Times Online
IRELAND is the most popular destination for migrants from the European Union’s 10 new member states, according to new figures.
More than 85,000 citizens from accession states joined the workforce during the year since enlargement in May 2004 — six times more per head of population than went to Britain, the next most popular country.



Economists and business leaders said the influx of workers was the lifeblood of the economy, and was needed to sustain the country’s economic growth.

Polish migrants make up almost half the number of newcomers; more than 40,000 have come to Ireland to work, mainly in construction and meat processing. The former Soviet bloc country also contributed a large number of engineers and architects.

Some 17,700 Lithuanians and 9,000 Latvians moved to Ireland in the past year, many of them working in horticulture as well as in the dairy industry.

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