vasiletina
30-12-2006, 18:38
ROMANIANS living on the Northside are demanding equal rights from Ireland when their country joins the EU on January 1.
Chairperson of the Romanian Community of Ireland, Vasile Ros, says the Irish Government is discriminating against Romanian nationals by imposing work restrictions.
While Romanians and Bulgarians will be free to enter Ireland from January, they won’t be allowed to work without permits following a decision by the Irish Government last October.
The rule didn’t apply to nationals from the 10 newest EU member states including Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, when they joined in 2004.
“This new rule is highly discriminatory and Romanians who come here will have no equal status,” Mr Ros told Northside People.
“Romanians will be divided from Irish society and will be in a limbo situation.
“Many will work here illegally so that they can earn a living. They are not coming here as tourists; they see Ireland as an excellent opportunity to work.”
According to Ros, some Romanians will come here under false pretences. “From the outside looking in, Ireland may seem like a good place to come to, but it is one of the most expensive countries within the EU,” he said. “It has a high cost of living and no one could be independent here without an income.”
As Mr Ros has lived in Ireland for eight years, the rule does not apply to him and he now works freely as a legal assistant with a firm of solicitors. He believes the outlook is bleak for future Romanian immigrants in Ireland. “They will be forced into the labour black market where they are wide open for exploitation,” he said. “I know many Romanians who are being exploited even when they have a work permit. Some are working 60 hour weeks and only getting paid for 40 hours.”
On behalf of the Romanian community, Mr Ros is calling on the Government to abolish the work permit requirement for those who want to come here. “They also need to abolish the need for the registration card, the work permit and the work visa for all Romanians who come here in the new year,” he said. “The State also needs to legislate, adopt and supervise the EU and national legislation in a manner that does not discriminate in any way or form against Romanian nationals.”
Each EU member state is entitled to restrict access to their labour market for up to seven years under current legislation but Ireland and UK decided to open their markets to the 10 new member states that joined in 2004.
However, Bulgarians and Romanians were angry when both governments decided to apply restrictions to the latest member states.
As the British and Irish economies have improved over the past two years they believe the decision was a political one based on appeasing anti-immigrant supporters.
However, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment remains firm in its position.
“On deciding whether to restrict the labour market for new member states, it was felt a cautious approach should be adopted,” a spokesperson said.
“The Government was informed in its decision by the very significant inflow of labour migrants Ireland had experienced since May 2004, when nationals of the EU 10 member states were allowed to participate in the Irish labour market without work permits.
“The Government felt that on this occasion, it was appropriate to take stock, be cautious and concentrate on addressing the integration needs of those who had already come to live and work in Ireland.”
The Romanian community says it is determined to fight what they see as discrimination on the part of the Irish Government.
“By the introduction of the labour market restriction and work permits provision, the Irish Government has decided to discriminate against nationals of Romania contrary to the core principle of equality of European Union law,” a letter sent to various Government departments read.
The Romanians claim that access to Ireland will be restricted – even to those holding a valid Irish visa – which is contrary to the EU core principal of free movement to all citizens of member states.
http://www.dublinpeople.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2071&Itemid=49
Chairperson of the Romanian Community of Ireland, Vasile Ros, says the Irish Government is discriminating against Romanian nationals by imposing work restrictions.
While Romanians and Bulgarians will be free to enter Ireland from January, they won’t be allowed to work without permits following a decision by the Irish Government last October.
The rule didn’t apply to nationals from the 10 newest EU member states including Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, when they joined in 2004.
“This new rule is highly discriminatory and Romanians who come here will have no equal status,” Mr Ros told Northside People.
“Romanians will be divided from Irish society and will be in a limbo situation.
“Many will work here illegally so that they can earn a living. They are not coming here as tourists; they see Ireland as an excellent opportunity to work.”
According to Ros, some Romanians will come here under false pretences. “From the outside looking in, Ireland may seem like a good place to come to, but it is one of the most expensive countries within the EU,” he said. “It has a high cost of living and no one could be independent here without an income.”
As Mr Ros has lived in Ireland for eight years, the rule does not apply to him and he now works freely as a legal assistant with a firm of solicitors. He believes the outlook is bleak for future Romanian immigrants in Ireland. “They will be forced into the labour black market where they are wide open for exploitation,” he said. “I know many Romanians who are being exploited even when they have a work permit. Some are working 60 hour weeks and only getting paid for 40 hours.”
On behalf of the Romanian community, Mr Ros is calling on the Government to abolish the work permit requirement for those who want to come here. “They also need to abolish the need for the registration card, the work permit and the work visa for all Romanians who come here in the new year,” he said. “The State also needs to legislate, adopt and supervise the EU and national legislation in a manner that does not discriminate in any way or form against Romanian nationals.”
Each EU member state is entitled to restrict access to their labour market for up to seven years under current legislation but Ireland and UK decided to open their markets to the 10 new member states that joined in 2004.
However, Bulgarians and Romanians were angry when both governments decided to apply restrictions to the latest member states.
As the British and Irish economies have improved over the past two years they believe the decision was a political one based on appeasing anti-immigrant supporters.
However, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment remains firm in its position.
“On deciding whether to restrict the labour market for new member states, it was felt a cautious approach should be adopted,” a spokesperson said.
“The Government was informed in its decision by the very significant inflow of labour migrants Ireland had experienced since May 2004, when nationals of the EU 10 member states were allowed to participate in the Irish labour market without work permits.
“The Government felt that on this occasion, it was appropriate to take stock, be cautious and concentrate on addressing the integration needs of those who had already come to live and work in Ireland.”
The Romanian community says it is determined to fight what they see as discrimination on the part of the Irish Government.
“By the introduction of the labour market restriction and work permits provision, the Irish Government has decided to discriminate against nationals of Romania contrary to the core principle of equality of European Union law,” a letter sent to various Government departments read.
The Romanians claim that access to Ireland will be restricted – even to those holding a valid Irish visa – which is contrary to the EU core principal of free movement to all citizens of member states.
http://www.dublinpeople.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2071&Itemid=49