Ireland gives migrants the vote - but demands they learn English to avoid Britain's 'mistake'
By JULIAN GAVAGHAN - More by this author »

Last updated at 13:48pm on 18th April 2008

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Ireland is to allow hundreds of thousands of migrants to vote in national elections and force hopeful residents to learn English in a bid to avoid the "worst mistakes" of British multiculturalism, it emerged today.

The Republic, which now has 540,000 foreigners living among its 4.5million population, wants to unite the country and escape the "ethnic ghettoes" described by UK equality commissioner Sir Trevor Phillips.

It will allow Poles, Czechs, Slovakians and workers from other EU states, according to integration minister Conor Lenihan - but not those from China or Africa.

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Voting rights: But Ireland will only give residency to migrants who pass an English test

But in return for full voting rights the migrants would have to prove an ability to speak English before taking up permanent resident status, he said.

The same language test will be required for any foreigner hoping to obtain citizenship and a passport.

Mr Lenihan said Ireland would reject the UK multicultural model for absorbing immigrants that does not require them to assimilate.

Instead proposals are being drawn up to increase the number of "citizenship ceremonies", which involve foreign nationals being obliged to swear an oath of allegiance to the Irish constitution.



Integration minister: Conor Lenihan
"There can be nothing more powerful in integrating people than allowing them to make a political decision by using a vote to shape the state [they] are in," the minister told The Guardian.
"By not letting them vote you are postponing their decision to integrate and become full Irish citizens.

"Voting is one of the key benchmarks of citizenship, and that is why I think the time is now right to extend the vote on elections to the Dáil [Irish parliament] and local government to non-Irish EU nationals living in the state."

Lenihan rejected capping the numbers of foreign workers legally entering the Republic, even in the face of economic downturn.

But he warned that Ireland would tighten its border controls to stop more illegal immigrants and asylum seekers entering the state. "There can be no integration without deportation." he said.

Lenihan, who in the 1980s worked for the Inner London Education Authority, said he witnessed the UK's multicultural "experiment" at first hand.

He agreed with Trevor Phillips, the UK equality commissioner, who said multiculturalism had led to the creation of ethnic ghettoes.

Lenihan said: "Ireland will operate on a happy medium, between the worst mistakes of multiculturalism and extreme assimilation.

"There won't be an American style insistence on holding your hand on your heart and saluting the flag each day - that is not the Irish way.

"But nor will we be encouraging the creation of separate racial or ethnic areas."

All of the EU migrants in the republic, including those taking up permanent residence or citizenship and those who do not, will have the right to vote under Mr Lenihan's plans.

To date EU migrant workers have not had the right to vote in Irish general or local elections.

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