Prospects of a better life in Ireland provide strong encouragement to immigrants who do not have the right to remain in the country, according to a new report.
“Many aspects of life in Ireland are attractive and motivate people to stay in this country,” states the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) study titled ‘Where do I go from here?’.
The report adds: “Even people living in ‘temporary’ accommodation readily engage with the imaginaries of life in Ireland. In this way the more comfortable the person is with Ireland, and the idea of Ireland, the more grounded they feel, the less likely they are to look favourably at the prospect of returning to their country of origin.”
Although being exposed to a higher standard of living in Ireland is not a valid immigrantion reason, the report notes that this has a significant “impact on the thought process of those who are affected”.
In addition, having children (whether born in Ireland or not) and the dream of working and earning income pushes many immigrants to want to stay in the country.
Factors that deter immigrants from wishing to return to their home countries include discussions about safety and lack of opportunity at home, as well as fear about ‘settling back’.
Significantly, the study reports that neither “the experience of difficulty” in direct provision centres – which are described as “inhumane” – nor the threat of deportation have encouraged immigrants to consider returning to their homelands.
“Very many people currently housed in the direct accommodation system have simply made too much of an investment in the refugee-asylum process in this country in the hope of garnering a positive outcome at some point in the future,” the report states.
“People are loath to opt out, given the investment already made. Even the threat of forced repatriation, this jurisdiction’s ultimate sanction against ‘failed’ migrants does not seem to impact on people in general.”
The report also states that Ireland’s assisted voluntary return programme run by IOM – which helps returning migrants with financial assistance – does not encourage immigrants to consider returning, due to a lack of understanding about the scheme.
