The Irish community in Britain - diversity, disadvantage and discrimination

The Irish are by far the largest birthplace group originating outside Britain, more than twice as numerous as the next migrant population, those born in India. This reflects the demand for migrant labour in Britain in the post-War period and comprises a large group of Irish women and men who arrived in the 1950s and a smaller section from the 1980s. Unlike other ethnic groups originating outside Britain, only the migrant generation has usually been recognised for statistical purposes as 'Irish'. However the proposed inclusion of a self-identified 'Irish' category in the 2001 Census means that in future the acknowledged size of the 'community' including migrants' children could be up to three times as large.