LABOUR PARTY education spokesman Ruairí Quinn has said he has changed his views and is no longer a supporter of multiculturalism.
Mr Quinn said that he is now a firm believer in integration following his study of the experience of other European countries.
"I do not think that multiculturalism has worked in Denmark and Holland," he said. The challenges of absorbing immigrants in society had been exacerbated by the advent of cheap flights, and the widespread use of telephone and the internet, he added.
"It has meant that people can live in one place and can remain in another place," he said.
"This has been part of the problem in France and part of the problem in other countries.
"We have absorbed 10 per cent of the population in a very short period of time. If we want to avoid the problems associated with outer countries, we have to be as integrationist as possible."
Mr Quinn was speaking about the positions that he and his Fine Gael counterpart Brian Hayes have adopted on the wearing of the Muslim hijab (headscarf) in the country's secondary schools.
Both said separately over the weekend that they opposed it being worn, though Mr Hayes made a distinction between State-run VEC schools and those run by religious orders - which decide their own rules.
Mr Hayes also told The Irish Times: "There is enough segregation in Ireland without adding this to it. Segregating in this way is not helpful to Muslims and not helpful to anybody."
Conor Lenihan, the Minister of State for Integration Policy, said last night that the hijab was already being worn in many schools in the country. "It's up to the schools locally to set their rules and regulations for dress code. To date, it has not been a huge issue in schools." Mr Lenihan said he personally had no issue with the hijab. He is also conducting a review of the issue.
