Opinions about Polish immigrants

WooPeeA

I wonder to know what is your personal opinion about Polish immigrants. Are you sick of them or like them? What do you think about your new Polish neighbours? Are there problems with them? Is it easy to work with them?

What about comparing them to other foriegn people in your neighbourhood?

Dennis the Stone

I love them all and they love me, lets all have a cup of tea

Toots

I can see this thread getting controvertial........

Armin_Tamzarian

I don't have much of an opinion on Polish people.
Any of the ones that I have come across have seemed to be friendly, decent, hard working types.
I don't know any socially and I don't know anyone who has any Polish friends.
Like most other immigrants to Ireland they don't seem to integrate into the community much, they seem to stick with their own.

I don't like the way that Eastern European workers have taken so many jobs, particularly in the construcion industry, but I'd blame the government for this as opposed to the Eastern Europeans themselves.

nocal

I think they are Polish.:D

Mena

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

Like most other immigrants to Ireland they don't seem to integrate into the community much, they seem to stick with their own.

w00t, I'm different, I only have Irish friends (here).

As to the question, those I know are all very nice. Comparing them to the other immigints in my neighbourhood, I like me better I would have to say!

JMCD

Majority of them are fine......good workers and also really nice people.

Armin_Tamzarian

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

I don't have much of an opinion on Polish people.
Any of the ones that I have come across have seemed to be friendly, decent, hard working types.
I don't know any socially and I don't know anyone who has any Polish friends.
Like most other immigrants to Ireland they don't seem to integrate into the community much, they seem to stick with their own.

I don't like the way that Eastern European workers have taken so many jobs, particularly in the construcion industry, but I'd blame the government for this as opposed to the Eastern Europeans themselves.

+1

I'm friends with a Polish guy and woman, like what has been said above very hard working, majority do stick to their own sometimes partly due to the usual "you took our jobs!".

The guy I know get less than the minimum hourly rate and he works hard for it. I know a lot of people will blame them for the lack of jobs but it's not there fault, the blame lies with the employers and our government, my friend asked once before to be paid the rate but was told he would be sacked. They are being exploited, employers paying under minimum wage know it's more than what they would get back home.

The only worrying thing is that a lot of them like other foreign workers are here to make money, when they do that they go back home. This will result in less cheap labour, industries and other places of work closing, less demand for housing, houses lying empty and prices falling etc...

Tha Gopher

Seem alright, quite insular. Despite being a majority I currently work with alot fewer Poles than other migrants so its hard to say.

Irish women are slightly proportionately better looking. Although Poland has less fat women. Anyone who thinks otherwise usually hasnt met more than 3 Poles.

As for jobs most Poles, while greatful, think our open door policy is insane, that basically any scumbag from home can emigrate here no problem. Needless to say they wouldnt be too happy if it was the other way around and Anto and his mates smoking hash down the back of the bus could move like that to Poland (if their economy was better/they could sell drugs there for greater profit)

djpbarry

hellboy99 wrote: »

The only worrying thing is that a lot of them like other foreign workers are here to make money, when they do that they go back home.

Why is that a bad thing? Would you rather they claim social welfare here rather than looking for work elsewhere?

AlmightyCushion

I know a few from work and they seem dead on. One of them threw a house party for new years and it was class.

justshane

I thinl polish people are generally nice, genuine hardworking people. it goes without saying you'll meat a few idiots.

WooPeeA

Armin_Tamzarian wrote: »

I don't know any socially and I don't know anyone who has any Polish friends.
Like most other immigrants to Ireland they don't seem to integrate into the community much, they seem to stick with their own.

It's probably because of the differences between Irish and Polish culture and mentality.. But I think it's just a matter of time.

Armin_Tamzarian wrote:

I don't like the way that Eastern European workers have taken so many jobs, particularly in the construcion industry, but I'd blame the government for this as opposed to the Eastern Europeans themselves.

Yeah.. It's true. Polish are cheaper. Immigration is one of the prices that west coutries must pay for being united.

But look at the other side. Most of the powerful modern economies were build with the "waves of immigration". For ex. look at the States.. Maybe Ireland is next?

djpbarry

djpbarry wrote: »

Why is that a bad thing? Would you rather they claim social welfare here rather than looking for work elsewhere?

I'm glad to see that they are not like other foreign immigrants, just here to live off the state. All I'm saying is that if the bulk of them are here to make money and then return home this will be a major contributor to our economy going down hill.

Naos

I work with a fair few, all seem to be hard working and genuine people.

Oh, and the ladies are hot.

djpbarry

hellboy99 wrote: »

I'm glad to see that they are not like other foreign immigrants, just here to live off the state.

Other foreign immigrants like?

hellboy99 wrote: »

All I'm saying is that if the bulk of them are here to make money and then return home this will be a major contributor to our economy going down hill.

Why?

djpbarry

djpbarry wrote: »

Other foreign immigrants like?

I'm not going to start about that, been done here before and ended up turning nasty.

djpbarry wrote: »

Why?

As I said previous:

hellboy99 wrote: »

This will result in less cheap labour, industries and other places of work closing, less demand for housing, houses lying empty and prices falling etc...

Tha Gopher

Naos wrote: »

Oh, and the ladies are hot.

:rolleyes:

There are a couple of things I don't understand about the Polish Culture.

Queue jumping... do you not know it is impolite? It is only two minutes and one day someone will beat you for shoving that granny aside with the trolley. Honestly.

Why do ye walk through people in impenetrable units, usually of three? Why can't you break free and accommodate the person/car coming in the opposite direction?

If ye don't believe in rounds why do ye accept drinks giving people the idea that you are participating?

Why do your rowdy young males chop wood when drunk/high? Is this a traditonal sport?

Tha Gopher

Buying rounds is retarded. It either slows down fast drinkers like me or forces slow drinkers to lamp a pile in when they are not ready. Honestly, rounds, grow up lads. What is the point in them?

Cant say Ive ever had one jump a queue (if anyone did they wouldnt currently be alive if they refused to get back tbh) but i agree about the 3 abreast footpath walking!

stakey

hellboy99 wrote: »

I'm glad to see that they are not like other foreign immigrants, just here to live off the state. All I'm saying is that if the bulk of them are here to make money and then return home this will be a major contributor to our economy going down hill.

Out of the 109,500 immigrants into Ireland in 2007, which group would you like to single out as sponging off of the state?

Would it be the 20,000 returning Irish (probably half of them fleeing their illegal status in the US). <MY CHOICE>

Would it be the 5,900 UK residents emigrating to Ireland?

Would it be the 63,100 EU nationals who have come to the country (more than likely to work, that's what I see on the buses and trains of Ireland everyday).

Would it be the 2,800 US residents emigrating to Ireland?

Or, i'm guessing you would like to paint the 17,800 immigrants from 'the rest of the world' with that mono-toned paintbrush of yours as spongers? Would I be correct or would you like to single another group out?

ztoical

I have no issue with polish people coming to work here. They are part of the EU so they have ever right to. We have benefited greatly from the EU and the freedom of movement of fellow member countries citizens is part and parcel of being part of it.

Morlar

stakey wrote: »

Out of the 109,500 immigrants into Ireland in 2007, which group would you like to single out as sponging off of the state?

Would it be the 20,000 returning Irish (probably half of them fleeing their illegal status in the US). <MY CHOICE>

Would it be the 5,900 UK residents emigrating to Ireland?

Would it be the 63,100 EU nationals who have come to the country (more than likely to work, that's what I see on the buses and trains of Ireland everyday).

Would it be the 2,800 US residents emigrating to Ireland?

Or, i'm guessing you would like to paint the 17,800 immigrants from 'the rest of the world' with that mono-toned paintbrush of yours as spongers? Would I be correct or would you like to single another group out?

You think that Irish people previously living illegally in the states (and therefore ineligible for state benefits) returning to Ireland are most likely to sponge from the state ? I am not seeing the logic behind your belief there.

My opinion would be that a higher proportion of nigerians/africans are here to sponge off the state than are the proportion of Polish or returning Irish. I base this on personal experience and social observation.

Re the op - I have never had a negative experience with polish people. In general I would have a high opinion of the contribution they make to Irish society. They are here for all the right reasons imo.

stakey

Morlar wrote: »

You think that Irish people previously living illegally in the states (and therefore ineligible for state benefits) returning to Ireland are most likely to sponge from the state ? I am not seeing the logic behind your belief there.

Logic is simple, people living illegally in another country aren't going to be able to return home and land on their feet. The world isn't that simple. The majority of illegal Irish living in the states returning to these shores will probably need state assistance to get their lives up and running once they return 'home'.

Morlar wrote: »

My opinion would be that a higher proportion of nigerians/africans are here to sponge off the state than are the proportion of Polish or returning Irish. I base this on personal experience and social observation.

That's an opinion, but there is no proof of that. The majority of Africans/Nigerians (really just with stereotypes with that one) that I have met and worked with here work in the civil service and run their own businesses or are college students. Remember, 17,800 immigrants to Ireland last year came from the 'rest of the world' according to CSO figures. That also includes India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia and of course Africa. If i were to guess the breakdown of that group taking into consideration our importation of nurses, doctors and other professionals would you believe Africans are in the majority? And if so, would the majority (or higher proportion of them) be here to 'sponge off of the state', if you believe that, show me some evidence.

The truth is that in less developed countries like Nigeria it is mostly individuals from affluent and middle class backgrounds that can afford the high costs of international migrations compared to those in the lowest rungs of society that may want to 'sponge off of the state'.

dsmythy

Some late night simplicity. Polish like the vodka. I like the vodka. Me and the Poles get along just fine.

stakey

hehe...

Morlar

stakey wrote: »

Logic is simple, people living illegally in another country aren't going to be able to return home and land on their feet. The world isn't that simple. The majority of illegal Irish living in the states returning to these shores will probably need state assistance to get their lives up and running once they return 'home'..

That is not logic. Thats re-stating an opinion and putting 'The logic is simple ...' infornt of it.

Irish people in the states never got one cent in handouts - they either worked or they starved. If you do that for several years you either have a strong work ethic or you dont survive. So your 'logic' in painting returning irish as more likely to be scroungers is not convincing.

You say that given 2 possible examples here - (a) Africans moving to Ireland (from the most extreme poverty on the planet) or (b) Irish returning from the one of the wealthiest nations on earth, given those 2 possible examples its the Irish returning are more likely to need state assistance ? You have yet to give any basis for this. Irish returning also have the advantages of having worked (on tax free high wages for decades), the language, religious cultural and social identity also family connections etc

*btw you prefaced your 'blaming the irish' with 'the logic is simple', i prefaced 'my more than likely the africans' with 'Its my opinion'.

Gavin "shels"

I love people from Poland, nice ladies, hard-workers, sound lads (well the lads I worked with during the summer doing buliding work) and I love their football culture. All in all 9 out of 10 for me:D

Re spongers, I'd tend to think Romania/Bulgaria due to a couple of bad experiences with them. Though I try to stay out of threads like this because I'm admittedly racist. No real experiences with Poles though so couldn't say.

stakey

stakey wrote: »

Out of the 109,500 immigrants into Ireland in 2007, which group would you like to single out as sponging off of the state?

This thread is about Polish immigrants so I'm not going to go off the topic, sorry

slipss

I like the ones that I've met that have been sound, I dislike the ones I've met that have been arseholes. (I think I'll copy and save that sentence, could come in very handy for threads in after hours I think.)