Brexit Sparks Immediate Upsurge in UK Nationals Contacting Immigrant Council Helpline
The Immigrant Council of Ireland witnessed an immediate upsurge in calls from UK nationals to its information helpline in the wake of last week’s Brexit referendum vote.
Commenting today (28.06.16), Brian Killoran, Chief Executive of the Immigrant Council, said: “As soon as the Brexit result became clear, there was an immediate upsurge in calls to our helpline from UK nationals in Ireland. Callers were concerned about their residency rights, their right to remain working here and the rights of their family members to live in Ireland.
“We have also been receiving lots of calls from UK nationals with family-members from outside the EU, who are concerned about whether or not EU rules will still apply for their family’s particular circumstances.
“At the moment, we’re keen to reassure all those contacting us that nothing will change in the immediate future. Rules governing the residence rights of UK citizens and their families in Ireland remain in place. The negotiations around the UK’s exit from the EU are likely to take a number of years, and it is expected that there will be no changes to UK nationals’ residency and working rights, or those of their families, during that time.
“In the meantime, the Immigrant Council remains committed to providing support services for anyone who needs them and we will work closely with the Government as new, post-Brexit immigration policies are negotiated.”
Six-Month Trend: Increased Calls from UK Nationals
Mr. Killoran said the increase in calls from UK nationals in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote followed a noticeable trend throughout 2016.
“In the first six months of this year, UK nationals were in the top 10 nationalities contacting our information helpline,” he said. “They didn’t feature in the top 10 at all in 2015. Now, they are the eighth most common nationality contacting us for support.
“We are also aware of a steady increase this year in immigration applications to the Department of Justice and Equality based on family rights from UK nationals and their family members.
“Both these trends can be attributed to concerns among British nationals – since well before last Thursday’s vote – about the implications of Brexit and about whether or not they will still be able to enjoy their rights as EU nationals.”
Lessons from Brexit for Ireland
The Immigrant Council also said today that Ireland has crucial lessons to learn from Brexit.
“The Brexit campaign was dominated by a very negative narrative about migration,” said Mr. Killoran. “This has been followed, in recent days, by an increase in racist incidents in the UK.
“In the wake of Brexit, Ireland must examine our own attitudes to immigration and integration and, in particular, assess how these issues are being perceived and discussed publicly.
“The Immigrant Council is calling for a national integration strategy to be published as a matter of urgency. This must focus on building strong links within communities at a local level, in our schools and on the streets, and addressing the fear and misinformation that all too often lead to racist or xenophobic attitudes.”
Further information about the Immigrant Council is available at www.immigrantcouncil.ie.
ENDS