Study shows 20% of population is now foreign born

PEOPLE living in rural areas and more disadvantaged communities are more likely to have negative attitudes towards immigration, an ESRI study has found.

- BY OWEN CONLON

The study was based on a large, representative survey of adults in Ireland about immigration, conducted in April 2023.

The study also took input from the 2022 Census, which showed that a fifth of Ireland's population is foreign-born.

It found that although migrants are not more likely to live in poorer communities, other residents of such areas are generally less positive about them.

The study also found that rural dwellers were more inclined to have negative impressions of migrants.

However, those parts of the countryside with high percentages of immigration were more positive about their presence, which the report said may show the need for social contact with newcomers to improve attitudes.

Where foreigners lived in clusters rather than integrated among the community, negative attitudes were also more common.

There had been some anecdotal linkage of hostility to immigration with Ireland's housing and GP shortage, but the report found “no evidence of a link”.