Local Lead Influences Government Migrant Worker Strategy
Publish Date: Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Government in Northern Ireland also detailed its strategy for supporting migrant workers at the event, with representatives of five government departments participating in panel discussion with persons from the migrant worker sector. The event was organised by ANIMATE a migrant worker project run by the Council and STEP.
Aideen McGinley, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Employment and Learning, congratulated and acknowledged the importance of the work carried being carried out stating:
"From its inception, ANIMATE has been at the forefront within Northern Ireland in identifying issues and challenges and helping to develop solutions and spreading best practice. Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council recognised the importance of the issue locally and acted quickly by supporting the establishment of the ANIMATE project in partnership with STEP. This was an important, insightful and far reaching decision and one for which recognition is well deserved."
Cllr Jim Hamilton Mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council who opened the event made reference to the important opportunity the arrival of migrant workers presents:
"On behalf of the Council I would like to publicly recognise the positive role migrant workers play here in the Borough. It has to be recognised that the presence of migrant workers has saved a number of key our local industries that otherwise may have left us. Movement of more persons into the rural area is also key to saving local public services, such as small schools."
The conference discussed many problems and challenges that migrant workers have faced whilst living in the Borough including racism, abuses of employment rights and poor housing. Public service issues in the fields of health care, education and planning were all discussed.
Bernadette McAliskey Coordinator of STEP said:
"Sometimes there is a perception migrant workers bring pressure on public services. This should not be so. More migrant workers actually means more corresponding tax revenue to run services - not to mention that the very running of some of our public services such as health are currently dependent on migrant workers. Where there is overstretch is in fact down to planning, regulation and structure, which is what we are all working together to address."
Daniel Holder of Animate said:
"This has been a very useful conference as there are many aspects of public policy we all need to work together on. For example, the key issue is the availability of affordable housing - this is an issue affecting everyone, but can particularly impact on migrant workers as many are in low paid jobs. We need to address this to ensure affordable housing otherwise many migrant workers - and local persons - will end up in overpriced substandard properties with the double danger that rather than looking into the factors that lead to rising prices, anger may turn into racism."
For further information on the ANIMATE project, visit www.animate-ccd.net or telephone 028 8772 9439.
