A petition
signed by 4,000 members of the public landed on the desk of Tom Cooney, special
advisor to Minister for Justice Alan Shatter, reports an article in the Irish
Times. The petition was organised by the
members of the Justice for the Undocumented campaign, which seeks to illuminate
the plight of undocumented immigrants in Ireland. The petition had a specific
mission, to seek support for the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, which “aims to
allow undocumented migrants living in Ireland to enter an earned regularisation
scheme which would require undocumented people to work over a period of time,
pay taxes and meet other criteria before being allowed residency.” This scheme
is crucial to give undocumented migrants a voice in Ireland. It is not a
hand-out, and it is not amnesty, it is simply recognising the presence of
undocumented migrants, allowing them to step out of the shadows, and stop
living in constant fear. For most undocumented workers, living illegally in the
State is better than the alternative, which is to return home lawfully and risk
being unable to support their families. The petition aimed to encourage the
state to commence searching for a solution.
Brophy Solicitors
31.07.12
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0718/breaking29.html
