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MRCI Policy Papers - New!
Work Permits and Exploitation: Time for Reform
Forced Labour: The Case for Criminalisation
Ending the Race to the Bottom: Changing the Balance for Migrant Workers in Ireland
Regularisation of Undocumented Migrants
Racism and Migrant Workers in Ireland
Supporting Interagcency approaches to Working with Migrant Workers
'Migrant Ireland' newsletter
Migrant Ireland is aimed at community-based organisations working with migrant workers around the country. Click here for the latest issue: Migrant Ireland Spring 2010
Tools for Social Change: A Resource Guide for Community Work with Migrant Workers and their Families in Ireland
In association with the Centre for Applied Social Studies, NUI Maynooth and the Community Workers Cooperative, MRCI has developed a resource guide for community work with migrant workers and their families. The aim of ‘Tools for Social Change’ is to illustrate a community work approach to working with migrant workers and their families, in a practical and engaging manner, that both provides theory and supports the development of good community work practice. The guide is intended to be an active tool to support community workers in their work, and contains a mixture of social analysis and useful information in the form of support sheets and case studies from MRCI and around the country. Important stages and developments in adopting a community work approach and key learning points are outlined throughout. MRCI hopes this guidewill be a useful contribution to the development of good community work practice in Ireland, particularly in relation to working with migrant workers and their families
Click here to download the resource guide
Click here to download order form and order copies
Exploitation in Ireland's Restaurant Industry
The restaurant sector in Ireland has undergone a period of tremendous growth over the last ten years, and is a significant source of jobs and business in the Irish economy. Wages, however, are the lowest of any employment sector in Ireland. The restaurant industry is almost entirely non-unionised. Workplace rights violations and exploitation of restaurant workers, especially migrant workers, is commonplace. Migrant workers employed as restaurant workers have been the largest group reporting workplace exploitation to the MRCI.
In early 2007, the MRCI initiated the Restaurant Workers Action Group (RWAG) to begin to bring migrant workers employed in restaurants together to work for change. In order to establish a more comprehensive picture of working conditions and experiences of workers, the RWAG decided to design and undertake an extensive worker survey. The results of this, along with worker testimonies, are summarised in this report. The report also makes a number of recommendations for change, including calling on the government to take immediate action to pass the Employment Law Compliance Bill and bring in penalties for employers who break the law.
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Enabling Equality: Migrant Women in Rural Ireland
Migrant women are part of the makeup of Ireland's increasingly diverse society. They have contributed to Ireland's economic success and to the social transformation of rural communities, both as active participants in the labour market and through family life and community activity. The purpose of this new study by MRCI is to explore the experiences and situation of migrant women at risk of poverty, social exclusion and discrimination in rural Ireland. It identifies and develops strategies for their inclusion and progression at a local level. It is hoped that this study will be a practical and constructive basis for action in contributing to the promotion of equality for women.
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Download Executive Summary Poster, including Recommendations
Life in the Shadows - an Exploration of Irregular Migration in Ireland
This report looks at the lived experience of migrant workers who are undocumented or working irregularly in Ireland. It examines the different routes into undocumented status. Different policy options and their effectiveness are also analysed, and the report makes a number of recommendations for minimising irregular migration.
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Realising Integration: Migrant Workers Undertaking Essential Low Paid Work in Dublin City
This project was initiated by MRCI, with support from Dublin City Development Board, in order to identify the situation of migrant workers undertaking low-paid work in a number of essential sectors in the city, to highlight their integration needs and acknowledge their importance in the future development of Dublin city. The sectors examined were hospitality, manual labour within construction, retail, cleaning and care work, all of which underpin the effective functioning of the city. It is hoped that this small-scale scoping exercise will contribute to the development of a strategy for the inclusion and integration of migrant workers and their families in Dublin.
No Way Forward, No Going Back: Identifying the problem of trafficking for forced labour in Ireland (2007)
This report provides an overview of the situation with regard to trafficking for forced labour in Ireland, in sectors other than for sexual exploitation. It also aims to identify effective policies necessary to support people trafficked for forced labour. The report follows a European-funded initiative led by Anti-Slavery International that focused on the existence and extent of trafficking for forced labour in Ireland, the UK, Portugal and the Czech Republic. The MRCI and Dublin City University conducted the research in Ireland.
Harvesting Justice: Mushroom Workers Call for Change (2006)
This document lays out the experiences of the members of the Mushroom Workers Support Group. It presents the voices of the members of the MWSG who are current and former mushroom workers seeking to be heard. The document captures the proceedings of a number of meetings held throughout Counties Cavan and Monaghan where the members of the group shared experiences of what it is like to work as a mushroom worker, what their main issues and concerns are and what needs to be done about it. Three of the members have volunteered their individual stories to be held up within this publication.
Accessing Redress for Workplace Exploitation: The Experience of Migrant Workers (2006)
This report seeks to:
a) Present an analysis of the experience of 89 migrant workers in seeking redress for workplace exploitation;
b) Identify the barriers and issues for migrant workers in seeking redress;
c) Formulate recommendations to improve protections from workplace exploitation and access to redress mechanisms for migrant workers
Realising Integration - Creating
the Conditions for the Economic, Social, Political and Cultural Inclusion
of Migrant Workers and their Families in Ireland (2006)
As a national organisation working with migrant workers and their families
who are in situations of vulnerability, the MRCI has, over the years, identified
a number of barriers that they face on a daily basis in relation to their
economic, social, political and cultural inclusion. The MRCI believes that
inclusion and active participation in each of these spheres of society are
prerequisites for creating the conditions for meaningful integration. In
the context of the growing discourse around integration, this document offers
a perspective on integration - its various components, the barriers preventing
integration, and suggestions for a constructive way forward.
Social Protection Denied
- The Impact of the Habitual Residence Condition on Migrant Workers (2006)
This publication analyses the impact that the Habitual Residence Condition
has had on migrant workers in Ireland. It makes recommendations for amending
the HRC and improving access to social protection for migrant workers and
their families.
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Private Homes: A Public
Concern: The Experience of Twenty Migrant Women Employed in the Private
Home in Ireland (2004)
This study analyses the situation of migrant women working in the private
home using twenty case studies. It provides recommendations for action to
improve their conditions of employment.
Work Permits in Ireland:
A Recommendation for Change (2004)
This briefing paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the Work Permits
system in Ireland, offering recommendations for changes that could improve
the situation of migrant workers holding permits in Ireland.
MRCI Annual Report 2006
MRCI's Annual Report 2006 includes an analysis of data gathered from casework in the Drop In Centre. The data reveals a number of interesting trends relating to issues such as access to social protection for migrant workers, becoming undocumented and workplace exploitation.
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