Peter Sutherland calls for a clear path to citizenship for migrants
Friday 30 November 2007

Prof Ronaldo Munck, Theme Leader Internationalisation, Interculturalism and Social Development, Peter Sutherland, UN General Secretary Special Representative for Migration and Prof Ferdinand von Prondzynski, DCU President

Speaking at a employer and trade union migration forum held at DCU, Peter Sutherland, UN General Secretary Special Representative for Migration, said that migrants should have a clear path to citizenship.

He added that: “Integration should be about enabling those people who come to our country to become who they want to be—through education, through work, and through participating in our political and social institutions. This is, after all, the essence of our contemporary liberal democracies—they allow individuals to fully realize their potential. And our openness is also at the heart of our ability to compete in the 21st century; if we are recognized as a liberal society in which people can realize their ambitions, then we will stand apart from most of the world and attract the best and brightest.”

The forum which was was organised as an element of DCU’s concerted research and intervention programme, the Migration and Integration Programme (MIP), brought together leading employer and trade union representatives in an academic environment to discuss key issues of the day in relation to migration and integration, such as the management of diversity, labour exploitation and the need to translate integtration policies into effective practice. Among those attending were representatives from IBEC, ICTU, Small Firms Association (SFA), Irish Nurses Organisation, McDonald’s, Irish Life, SIPTU.

The Forum agreed a series of principles and recommendations which is being submitted to Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan’s forthcoming consultation process on migration and integration.

The MIP brings together researchers and practitioners across a range of disciplines- including economics, sociology, media studies, politics, legal studies, education, nursing studies and intercultural studies. Together with researchers at other universities and civil society and government partners it seeks to forward a progressive agenda so that the opportunities presented by migration contribute to a better Ireland.