Letter: Some immigration is a good thing, the question is how much of it

Is it possible to have a conversation and oppose the southern government's policy on immigration without being labelled far right?

Everyone opposes unrestricted immigration. If 10 million immigrants were to arrive in Ireland this year only the somewhat deranged or bad at numbers would not object. Similarly even the staunchest anti immigrant supporter accepts some immigration. Propose to such a person that their local Chinese must close as the proprietor has to leave the country and they will be less than impressed.

The question is how much immigration is a good thing. The Oecd said the Republic of Ireland population was in 2012 17% foreign born, 46% of whom had arrived in the last five years. With this rapid increase it is natural that there is some angst – when does it stop 30%, 40%? The government could ease tensions by clarifying their end goal. This raises the question, at what percentage of the population does an influx of immigrants amount to colonisation of Ireland? You may think I am dealing with extremes but let us establish where those extremes are.

I think 10% of the population to be foreign born is a reasonable figure. Immigration makes the world a more interesting place and stops a community ossifying. However too much hinders integration and fragments a community.

I'm sure some disagree with me, but let us at least have a conversation on our borders. It would be a strange turn of history that Irishmen don't have a say.

Dominic Gallagher, Glenavy