The Government has dismissed a survey which suggests that up to 800,000 Hungarians will seek work in wealthier countries once Hungary joins the EU.
A spokesman for the Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Dick Roche, said the Government would "not support in any way" the results of the poll.
The survey, conducted by the Hungarian polling institute, Tárki, showed that 4 per cent of those polled said they definitely intended to try to work in another EU country, while a further 6 per cent said they were likely to try to get a job abroad after Hungary's accession to the EU, expected in 2004.
The Minister's spokesman said the results were "rather strange and quite amazing" and that independent research by the Irish Embassy in Budapest had shown that it would be highly unlikely for this to happen. Salaries in Hungary were quite high compared to neighbouring countries and there was "no tradition or propensity" by Hungarians to emigrate.
However, the No to Nice Campaign says the survey confirms its concerns about immigration to Ireland with enlargement.
Tárki claims to be a research institute of international renown. Its survey showed that about 5 per cent of those polled intended to seek permanent work and stay in other EU countries after enlargement.
"Some 5 per cent of Hungarians aged above 18 have expressed an intention to live and work in other EU countries for longer than two years after accession," a researcher at Tárki told the Reuters news agency.
"It is mainly young and middle-aged skilled male workers who seem to be ready to move," she added. The poll also showed that 63 per cent of those asked said they would definitely not make a move after accession, up from 57 per cent in March last year.
The nationwide poll was conducted in May on a sample of 1,500 people, representing some eight million Hungarians above the age of 18. Hungary has a total population of 10 million, including some 2.7 million pensioners.
Mr Justin Barrett, chairman of the No to Nice Campaign, said that figure would be "in line with reasonable expectations" of immigration after enlargement. In the 1980s when Ireland's unemployment rate was 18 per cent, an annual average of 1 per cent of the base population had emigrated. "One would find the same scenario in eastern Europe," he added.
Ireland has guaranteed free movement to all citizens of the accession countries from the date of accession, expected to be 2004.
- Additional reporting by Reuters
