Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Many skilled workers see it as a phase where they come to Ireland to earn higher wages and remunerate their families at home to increase their living standards. This is an understandable desire, as the Irish did it for many generations. There must be some balance in how we address this issue. Ireland has been more generous than most by having an open policy to inward worker migration. This was evidenced in our response in advance of the ten accession states joining the EU.

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