Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of workers from accession states likely to arrive here in the next five years; the policy response of his Department to their arrival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11351/06]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Since the accession of the ten new member states in May 2004, over 190,000 PPS numbers have been issued to EU-10 nationals and Revenue data indicate that about 70% of them may have participated in our labour market at some stage. It is not possible to predict the number of workers that will come from these member states to work in Ireland over the next five years.

However, I am informed that the "Population and Labour Force Projections 2006-2036" published by the Central Statistics Office last year included two alternative projections for net inward migration for the period 2006 to 2011. The first projection, which was based on the continuance of the present rate of strong economic growth, estimated that net annual migration over the period 2006 to 2011 would average 30,000. The alternative projection based on moderate levels of growth would be 20,000 per annum. The projections do not give details for nationals of EU-10 member states.

The policy is that workers from abroad working here are entitled to the same employment rights as Irish workers.