The Republic has a narrow window of opportunity to minimise the risks and maximise the benefits associated with large-scale migration into the country, according to the organisers of a major research programme on immigration.
The four-year project announced by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) yesterday aims to provide information on the challenges facing the State in areas such as employment, social policy, language and culture.
Prof James Wickham of TCD's department of sociology said there was a lack of reliable information on immigration in the Republic and that new data could form the basis for a range of national and local policies.
"Choices and decisions concerning immigration that are currently being made at institutional and community level will have a major impact on Irish society for this and future generations," Prof Wickham said.
"Sound evidence of the actual and potential impact of immigration at every level is required now as a basis for achieving coherent policy and creating a coherent society for the future."
The lack of data has led to doubt, for example, about the extent of immigration into the Republic. While more than 200,000 Personal Public Service (PPS) numbers were given to foreign nationals last year, estimates by the Central Statistics Office suggest the numbers resident here are much smaller.
The €6 million research programme will focus on:
Examining the level of integration of the new immigrant population with Ireland's indigenous population;
Charting migrants' careers and aspirations;
Providing cost-effective English-language support programmes for immigrant students at secondary school;
Analysing the performance of Government-funded services such as health, education, housing and social welfare in facing the challenges of immigration;
Facilitating the integration of immigrants through studies of migrants' activities such as their cultural and religious expression;
Promoting positive relations between host communities and newcomers in a "high-stress" community in Dublin.
Speaking at the launch of the programme yesterday, general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions David Begg said it was vital that Ireland did not repeat the mistakes of countries such as Britain and France in dealing with immigration.
He said our immigration system must be one which is just and fair, helping to prevent exploitation and human trafficking, and ensuring migrants are treated in the same way as Irish people.
The director general of employers' group Ibec, Turlough O'Sullivan, said Ireland's experience of immigration had been hugely positive so far, but he warned of challenges ahead.
He said the scale of migration would place significant demands on transport, housing, social services and education, as well as putting into question issues regarding Irish identity and citizenship.
Last week UCD launched a separate two-year study on immigration and integration.
