The Government is to introduce restrictions to block eastern European immigrants from claiming social welfare benefits following the enlargement of the European Union, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, indicated last night.
The immigration issue will be raised at today's Cabinet meeting. If agreed, restrictions could be imposed within weeks under the Social Welfare Bill, which has yet to be passed by the Oireachtas.
News of possible Irish restrictions followed the imposition by the British government yesterday of a two-year welfare ban on migrants from new EU states.
Mr Ahern stressed yesterday that Ireland would not renege on its promise to new citizens that they can come to work here.
However, Mr Ahern hinted that welfare restrictions would be imposed. He did not make it clear if this would happen before the May 1st enlargement, or if the Government would wait to see if problems emerge.
Speaking after a meeting with the Finnish Prime Minister, Mr Matti Vanhanen, Mr Ahern said: "I think we will have to do certain things on the social welfare aspects of it, but not on the labour market side of things." The Taoiseach's remarks were supported in Brussels by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, who also left open the possibility that social welfare law could be tightened quickly.
Last night the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said: "I believe it is probable that we will take some pre-emptive steps to make sure that our social welfare system cannot be undermined by abusive use of the right to come here."
Under the British changes, workers from new member-states will have to register with the authorities, but they will not need work permits, the British Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, told MPs.
In a brief statement last evening, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, said she had noted the changes brought into force by Mr Blunkett.
"I will be examining the implications of today's British government decision and further discussions will be taking place with my Cabinet colleagues in due course," she declared.
Questioned about the Taoiseach's remarks, the Department adopted a slightly different tone to the Taoiseach, indicating changes would not be made to social welfare rules until evidence emerged that abuse was taking place.
"If there were strong indications to suggest that the Irish welfare system were to become overburdened, it may be necessary to put in place certain restrictions," a spokeswoman declared.
Ireland and the United Kingdom are now the only existing European Union countries that have decided not to restrict the number of citizens from new EU accession states who can move to take up jobs.
The Danes and Germans, for example, have imposed a two-year ban on such workers, while the Dutch have decided to let in 22,000 workers qualifying under a work-permit scheme.
Speaking in Government Buildings in Dublin last night, Mr Ahern said: "We gave a commitment that EU citizens who want to come and work here from May 1st can do so.
"We will honour that commitment. I have said that many times and we will do so.
"I agree with the UK government's position that our economies will benefit from EU citizens coming here to work," he said.
Businesses in the Republic last year employed 47,000 non-nationals on work permits, although the Taoiseach said he believed that "70 to 80 per cent" of those jobs would be filled in future by citizens from the new EU states.
"If we do have any serious disruption in the labour market, we have the power to reintroduce work permits. I hope that doesn't happen. On the other side of it, I have said many times that we have to make sure that our social welfare system and other public services are not open to abuse.
"We will take whatever necessary actions we have to take to deal with that issue. It is a separate issue. On the social welfare aspects of it, it is my view that we have to protect ourselves from what could be abuse of the system."
However, Mr Ahern said the Government was unlikely to bring in a UK-style welfare ban: "There are different systems. They have a labour registration system. We don't have that, so I don't think that what we will do will be as tough or as hard," he told The Irish Times.
