Department must do more to counter misconceptions on immigrants

9.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 10th Jun 2007

North Down Alliance Councillor Ian James Parsley

North Down Alliance Councillor Ian James Parsley has called on the Department of Social Development to use the Welfare Reform Bill currently going through Stormont as an opportunity to counter misconceptions about recent immigrants to Northern Ireland.

The Holywood representative stated: "We have experienced a dramatic rise in the last three years in immigration to Northern Ireland, particularly from Eastern Europe.

"The misconceptions have already started, particularly concerning benefit entitlement. Ill-informed comment does nothing to help discussion of the very real skills and talents they have brought to the Northern Ireland economy, nor does it stimulate debate on the very real problems such swift demographic change brings.

"Reform of our benefits system enables reform of the way we communicate information about our benefits system. Northern Ireland can take the lead in this regard, specifically with regard to tackling integration of new immigrants within our society."

ENDS