Most Eastern Europeans have gone home
New Figures
I remember during the boom years there was a big hoo-ha about the number of people who came here from Eastern Europe.
However, these were economic migrants. Just like our youngsters who are out in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and the UK they only came here to get jobs.
When the jobs dry up they go home just as our youngsters would do if the jobs dried up in the countries that they are in.
Going Home
In 2007 there were 45,000 immigrants from Eastern Europe in Ireland. Now there are just 10,000.
They all paid into the health service and pensions out of their wages but few young people get sick and they will not be able to take advantage of their pension contributions.
They have boosted the health insurance and pension pots of those of us who remain here.
Biggest Immigrants
David McWilliams has just produced figures showing that the biggest group of immigrants to Ireland are Americans, presumably to work at their high-tech companies here.
Next are the Poles and then the British. After that come the Germans and French.
The Americans and British immigrants tend to stay here whereas the Eastern Europeans tend to go home.
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