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Ireland, from boom to bust: to what extent has the downfall in the Irish economy impacted on Polish migrants living and working in Ireland?

Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The need for workers during Ireland’s so-called ‘Celtic Tiger’ era attracted migrants\nfrom many countries. In 2004 Ireland opened its borders to the New Member States\n(NMS) favouring migrant workers from the accession countries. This resulted in\nmigrants from the NMS entering the country seeking employment, the largest group\nbeing from Poland.\nWhen the Irish economy started to decline in the late 2000s both nationals and\nmigrants started to leave the country. However, many Polish migrants have continued\nto remain in the country. This thesis explores the reasons why Polish migrants came to\nIreland and why they continue to remain in the country despite its economic decline\npost 2010 when austerity became a reality.\nThis thesis argues that most of those Polish migrants who took part in this study are\nwell educated. Most claim that they have not been discriminated against in terms of\ntheir social needs, conditions of employment, salary, or promotion in their place of\nwork. Although they originally migrated to Ireland for economic reasons the recent\nmeasurers of austerity introduced since 2010 has not had any major impact on their\nstandard of living. This thesis argues that despite high unemployment and measurers\nof austerity introduced by the Irish government since 2010, most Polish migrants wish\nto remain in Ireland because of their quality of life, better job opportunities and\npersonal commitments.\nIt concludes that leaving Ireland is not that simple, their domestic circumstances have\nnow changed, and some have got married, have families and enjoy a better quality of\nlife in Ireland than in Poland. Their decision whether to remain or leave Ireland no\nlonger rests solely with them. They now have to consider their domestic situation,\ntheir family’s opinions, and their future. Most are of the opinion that even if they\nbecame unemployed while in Ireland they could survive financially and returning to\nPoland is an option that they do not wish to contemplate.
Source: Figshare
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W757934416
Cites: 1
Cited by: 1
Related to: 10