BUSINESS managers have been urged to facilitate the integration of immigrants so that they can give their best to society.
Addressing guests at a recent two-day annual national management conference in Wicklow hosted by the Irish Management Institute, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said: “It is clear that the many thousands of talented people who have come to Ireland over recent years are making a very significant contribution in many sectors of the economy.
The Taoiseach continued: “It is vital that they are supported and assisted to become full participants in Irish economic and social life.”
He contended that his Government has been doing all it could to ensure that immigrants who are helping to maintain Ireland’s economic growth are integrated into the “Irish family”.
Earlier, Lucy Gaffney, chair of the strategic monitoring group of the National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR), told the conference that although progress has been in terms of society’s role in integrating immigrants, there needs to be a “positive contribution from the business community to help make our new and diverse society stable in the long term”.
She said the way forward is for the adoption of the theme of diversity across the corporate community as a whole.
In his own contribution, the chief executive of the Equality Authority, Niall Crowley, said that the cultural diversity of the Irish workforce was both a real challenge and great opportunity to employers.
The Taoiseach continued: “It is vital that they are supported and assisted to become full participants in Irish economic and social life.”
He contended that his Government has been doing all it could to ensure that immigrants who are helping to maintain Ireland’s economic growth are integrated into the “Irish family”.
Earlier, Lucy Gaffney, chair of the strategic monitoring group of the National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR), told the conference that although progress has been in terms of society’s role in integrating immigrants, there needs to be a “positive contribution from the business community to help make our new and diverse society stable in the long term”.
She said the way forward is for the adoption of the theme of diversity across the corporate community as a whole.
In his own contribution, the chief executive of the Equality Authority, Niall Crowley, said that the cultural diversity of the Irish workforce was both a real challenge and great opportunity to employers.
