Majority of Irish want immigration curbed: poll

By Jonathan Saul

DUBLIN (Reuters) - A majority of Irish people want tougher controls on immigration at a time of increasing economic hardship, a poll showed on Wednesday.

Ireland faces its first recession in 25 years as the end of a decade-long property driven boom and a slowing global economy maul the former "Celtic Tiger".

Years of rapid economic growth have helped to fuel record levels of immigration to Ireland, reversing the long-established pattern of people leaving Ireland to find work overseas.

An increase in unemployment has raised fears of tensions towards immigrants, many of whom have come from central and eastern Europe.

Of 1,000 people polled by independent consultancy Amarach Research, 66 percent said they wanted more restrictive immigration, while 27 percent said the current policy should remain as it is. Only 7 percent sought fewer restrictions.

"Current economic uncertainty means most people expect greater controls on immigration in the future," Amarach said.

The poll also found that 54 percent believed immigration had on balance been good for Ireland, while 33 percent said it was bad, citing factors which included increased competition for jobs and demands on state benefits, Amarach said.

"As unemployment levels rise there is a potential for tension," the Irish Examiner wrote in an editorial on Wednesday.

"Our attitude towards immigrants may be about to face a sterner test than before. Let us hope we pass it."

Recent official data showed there were an estimated 484,000 non-nationals in the Republic of Ireland in the second quarter of 2008, out of a total population of around 4.4 million.

Many of the recent wave of immigrants have come from central and eastern European countries such as Poland and the Baltic states. Ireland was one of a handful of European Union states which gave unlimited access to its job market in 2004 when countries such as Lithuania and Poland joined the EU.

Ireland imposed labor and welfare restrictions on entrants from Romania and Bulgaria, which both joined the bloc in 2007, arguing it had done its share with the previous accession countries.

Rights groups say Ireland's immigration policy is already restrictive for workers from outside the EU who have to fulfill stringent criteria to qualify for a work permit.

(Editing by Keith Weir)