Over the years there has been an ebb or flow of people between the UK, Ireland and also the EU/EEA. There is a strong link due to the common language between the UK and Ireland, with workers moving between both countries. There is a large Irish community in the UK from those who emigrated due to the high unemployment and lack of opportunities in Ireland for many years. Two things changed that trend: joining the EU in 1973 and the subsequent “Celtic Tiger “, which reversed the trend with Ireland becoming a net destination of immigration. It also has led to a change in demographics and the advent of multi-culturalism. However, the boom collapsed, for many reasons, and Ireland fell into recession in 2008, after their banking crisis. Irish youngsters then emigrated to Australia, the UK and elsewhere, to pursue careers or a better way of life.
As the world began to recover from the banking crisis and confidence was returning, the Covid pandemic hit the world. The ensuing restrictions created job losses in the retail, leisure, tourist and airline industries. There are still concerns over the unresolved issues of Brexit and the emergence of Omicron, but despite this Ireland has managed to stage a recovery on the back of the activities of multinational companies, financial services and supported by a domestic recovery, as reported by European Commission’s autumn economic forecast in 2021.
