TVN24 - Polish independent news channel has just broadcasted program about 3 Polish men who have just come back from London, England. They came to England for work without enough money, without basic knowledge of English, and without any contract. Yet another three who believed that UK and Ireland was the Eldorado - a promised land, where is plenty of job, and you can find it almost instantly. Because they couldn’t communicate they were very easily exploited, loosing money instead of earning. They ended up on the street without money, job and perspectives. Finally they met Travellers, who took they papers and forced them to steal. After some period of time they escaped and met another Polish homeless who helped them and teach them how to beg properly and to get from begging about 20 - 100 GBP per day. They were spending theyir days on begging and then drinking cheap cider. Finally they came back to Poland and now they are struggling to came back to normal life.
Here is the link to the video at TVN24 website. The video is in Polish, but with my description you probably get a basic notion about the program: http://www.tvn24.pl/2071288,0,0,2,1,wideo.html
I wonder, why UK and Irish governments don’t want to limit the number of emigrants that are flowing into UK and Ireland. There is a simple factor to decide who would be let in or not - people with knowledge of English enough to communicate and to fight for their rights. In my opinion problem of Polish homeless and beggars will be increasing since there is not barrier nor system to prevent unprepared people to come over.
The requirements for the newcomers would be quite simple:
- basic English, to be able to communicate (kind of certificate)
- having at least 1000 Euro
- having proof of booked hostel or accommodation for first couple of days
- clear files in Police database (in any European country, such data system exists)
I know it is not ease to introduce such things on the borders, but it would prevent Poles of becoming homeless and begging on the streets, it would keep Polish troublemakers in Poland, it would prevent Irish or British employers of exploiting Polish workers, thus it would assure equal chances to get a job both for foreigners and natives, and finally it would prevent most of racial behaviours since, natives wouldn’t have and big reasons to dislike emigrants (of course if they not regard emigrants as a strangers and if natives not to judge emigrant only in the way that they are emigrants).
you forgot about testing historical knowledge. Confirmation of not being a PRL Secret Agent also would be useful. And what if one has no English certificate but can communicate? Why pervent ppl from being homeless? It is not a crime…
In answer to some of your points raised, Ireland has done well so far to just about cope with huge cultural change in a short space of time. It cannot be unexpected that there are cultural clashes. For Poles or others they should look at know before you go.
Know Before you Go
http://www.fas.ie/en/Job+Seeker/Working+and+Training+Abroad/Non-Irish+Jobseekers/Know+Before+You+Go/default.htm
Ireland Steps Up As Immigration Leader
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/05/world/main3235610.shtml
It is easy to check the knowledge of English just during the short conversation on the border.
Being homeless is not a crime, but stealing thing it is, and being both homeless and unemployed you will become a thief sooner or later.
Paul: I wrote about homeless people not about cultural differences - which are not so big, at least between Polish and Irish.
I described problem of overestimated expectations about Ireland and UK, and even I didn’t complain about Irish social welfare system.
People who can become homeless very easily, who are coming to Ireland not prepared don’t use the internet, so they will never browse to those pages. In my opinion there must be other system of prevention to stop them coming and becoming homeless.
Well it looks like the British are about to change
Migrant workers face English test
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6985661.stm
What do you want to talk on the border? About weather? Differents between past perfect and past perfect continues? Who will decide? Officers? Qualified English teacher?
Typical e-crime costs about $500,000. Shall we imprison ppl who can use computer?
Maksymus, you are completely misunderstanding two things: not to let somebody to the country (which is not imprisonment) and putting somebody behind the bars. Don’t you see the difference?
You don’t understand liberal guilt Mackozer.
We can’t be seen to put barriers up, that might even seem sane and sensible and that’s for two reasons.
1) Europe is fairly clearcut on free movement of workers, language skills was not part of the deal, so it would be entirely inconsistent with current treaties which whilst they allow limits to be set (Ireland, Uk and Sweden didn’t adopt limits as you know) they don’t allow for discrimination on this basis. Police records, etc., do not count either, don’t you believe in any case once punishment has been served, that the slate should be wiped clean?
2) Liberal guilt. It’s a good thing in general but basically results in half assed social policies whereby we allow people to come here but don’t make any real provision for the difficulties they might face or the social challenges it presents.
Either way, we’re not keen on too many barriers.
Pot kettle black.
There are over 10 million Irish passports and only 4 million people resident in the state. We don’t want to be accused of making things difficult for others when we emigrate so much ourselves.
I see difference. But it is the same situation like ‘homeless will become a theft sooner of later’. It is possible but it doesn’t mean every homeless should be imprisoned (just because there is posibility he or she can break the law).
On the other hand there are many ppl who, without bacis knowledge of English, gets a job and works.
I’ve been a reader of your blog on and off for quite a while. And although what you propose makes some sort of sense, it is not enforcable.
The EU has free movement of people, goods, and (sort of) services. So a person cannot be prevented from moving to another country looking for work, whether or not they speak the language.
How many Irish, or anyone else in Poland, Hungary, or elsewhere spoke 2 words of the language before moving there? Very few I imagine.
Saying all that. I do remember reading that there was a programe being run by an organisation (I can’t remember any of the details) which were offering help to homeless Polish and other migrants and paying for their tickets home if they wanted to go.
Why doesn’t the Polish embassy help? And why doesn’t the Irish and British governments help? Much cheaper to help a few poor unfortunate souls to go home if they want to rather than rounding up others and deporting them along with all the security needed, overtime for the guards, and all the rest.
Sorry for the rambling. Just a few thoughts.
Sounds to me that You want to be the only po;ish here. everyoen of you lot that come, come for the same reason.
com on now lets face the real issue they rnt begging they are asking 4 help an i was recently reading an article in the paper that the soup kitchens an hostels that had previously givin there help 2 these polish .that facts were the polish didnt walk away from these places an they didnt 4get about the help they recieved .they actually com bac an generously giv donations 2 these such places how many more nationalities hav done so .an as 4 the churches they r only grateful 2 hav these great people .some people that c the negative side of these people r actually in an act of denial.they r ignorant 2 there own ignorance .i was working in sandyford on a major construction site were there were many poles an 2 b honest the toilets were covered with sickening graffiti about the poles i raised the issue nothing was done about it i then went ahead an sent a email 2 the main firm involved statin that there was a vacancy in the toilets .i pointed out that a painter was needed 4 the toilets .they sent me bac a promp reply an employed a painter .iv lived in many countrys with many irishmen an wmen we never had a problem like this not even in england