Are Ireland's 17,600 Nigerian residents able to send home 468 M last year???

Montroseee · 19-05-2013 03:18PM #1

Disillusioned read this article: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nigerians-send-nearly-500m-a-year-home-from-ireland-29278045.html

500 Million is quite a large loss to the Irish Economy. A staggering figure when you break it down to 26 k per person, including children.

The CSO also shows that nearly 40% of Nigerian were unemployed in 2011 so I wouldn't imagine it's a much better figure now - http://www.thejournal.ie/one-in-five-unemployed-2011-non-nationals-534685-Jul2012/.

I know these people left the cruelty and corruption of Nigeria to come here for asylum but these are tough times and the Irish people can't afford to be carrying the can for other countries people. How this amount of money is able to be sent home truly beggars belief. I know France had a problem with many non-nationals sending money home and introduced a tax on transferring money out for the country.

Before anyone says this a foreigner bashing thread, it is not. I have worked with several Nigerians in the past and have nothing but good to say for them and their work ethic. What I do have a problem with is these incredible figures and how this kind of money is being sent out of the country, I know it's an issue that has been raised in the Dail in recent times.

Edit: It seems some posters need it spelt out, how is it that this amount is able to be sent home? 40 % are unemployed, a few thousand of that 17.6 k would be children. If you are on the social it would be impossible to have anything near that amount to send home. You would have to have a very high paying job to have 26 k a year to send home.

Annasopra · 19-05-2013 03:19PM

I'm not racist but...

gallag · 19-05-2013 03:21PM

mango salsa wrote: »

I'm not racist but...

Head in sand.

charlemont · 19-05-2013 03:21PM

Good on them, Fair play to them for sending money home, It saves the rest of us donating to Trocaíre etc..Its nice to see them remembering their roots and looking after their kin at home..

wolfpawnat · 19-05-2013 03:22PM

As opposed to what we Irish have been doing since the 1840's???? We can hardly fling dirt at anyone else for doing it when we have been doing it for 170 odd years. Hell there are Irish people abroad working at them moment sending money home from wherever they are!

Banjo String · 19-05-2013 03:22PM

If the money was worked for, earned legit, what's the problem?

I reckon we've a few in oz or USA sending a few Bob home each year too.

Cavehill Red · 19-05-2013 03:24PM

mango salsa wrote: »

I'm not racist but...

Oh, you're like a broken record at this point.
You honestly don't think that it's even slightly worth investigating why fewer than 6,000 people (ie the 60% who are in employment and also aren't kids) are able to live in this economy and still remit c. 60,000 each back to Nigeria, AFTER tax?
Are they all CEOs or TDs? Bank directors? Rock stars?

Miss Lockhart · 19-05-2013 03:25PM

It's pretty pathetic to see the "smart" condescending comments attempt to shut down any discussion on this topic. Entirely predictable though.

These figures certainly warrant some further investigation. It's not a problem with people sending money home. It's a question of where did this money come from.

The figures just don't seem to add up, given the number of Nigerian residents of working age actually in employment.

Prodigious · 19-05-2013 03:27PM

charlemont wrote: »

Good on them, Fair play to them for sending money home, It saves the rest of us donating to Trocaíre etc..Its nice to see them remembering their roots and looking after their kin at home..

I have collected for concern numerous times and I swear to God not a single black individual put a penny in my bucket.

19-05-2013 03:27PM

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Oh, you're like a broken record at this point.
You honestly don't think that it's even slightly worth investigating why fewer than 6,000 people (ie the 60% who are in employment and also aren't kids) are able to live in this economy and still remit c. 60,000 each back to Nigeria, AFTER tax?
Are they all CEOs or TDs? Bank directors? Rock stars?

Or maybe they're just living within their means? Plus you don't know how many jobs some of those people could be potentially working!

oppenheimer1 · 19-05-2013 03:27PM

Montroseee wrote: »

Disillusioned read this article: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nigerians-send-nearly-500m-a-year-home-from-ireland-29278045.html

500 Million is quite a large loss to the Irish Economy. A staggering figure when you break it down to 26 k per person, including children.

The CSO also shows that nearly 40% of Nigerian were unemployed in 2011 so I wouldn't imagine it's a much better figure now - http://www.thejournal.ie/one-in-five-unemployed-2011-non-nationals-534685-Jul2012/.

I know these people left the cruelty and corruption of Nigeria to come here for asylum but these are tough times and the Irish people can't afford to be carrying the can for other countries people. How this amount of money is able to be sent home truly beggars belief. I know France had a problem with many non-nationals sending money home and introduced a tax on transferring money out for the country.

Before anyone says this a foreigner bashing thread, it is not. I have worked with several Nigerians in the past and have nothing but good to say for them and their work ethic. What I do have a problem with is these incredible figures and how this kind of money is being sent out of the country, I know it's an issue that has been raised in the Dail in recent times.

Exactly why these figures should be questioned - because they don't stack up. Either the CSO has vastlyy underestimated the number of Nigerians here or the World bank has a really bad method for producing their estimates (one with a huge margin of error). I suspect its the latter.

A remittance tax would be really hard to implement as it would interfere with business payments among other things.

losthorizon · 19-05-2013 03:28PM

Actually Nigeria is not the biggest destination for money sent out of this country by foreign residents according to the World Bank as reported by the Irish Times but not reported by the Irish Independent for some reason.

Its actually Britain. But that would ruin a good story.

It would make sense as British citizens make up the biggest proportion of foreign people living in this country.

wolfpawnat · 19-05-2013 03:28PM

Am I the only one that sees these sorts of figures and articles and thinks to myself that the powers that be are busy getting us to focus on each other and not on the fact that there are far more dodgy things going on in this country? Or perhaps I need to get myself over to the conspiracy theories forum, but it sure as hell looks like it.

iramen · 19-05-2013 03:29PM

Montroseee wrote: »

Disillusioned read this article: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nigerians-send-nearly-500m-a-year-home-from-ireland-29278045.html

500 Million is quite a large loss to the Irish Economy. A staggering figure when you break it down to 26 k per person, including children.

The CSO also shows that nearly 40% of Nigerian were unemployed in 2011 so I wouldn't imagine it's a much better figure now - http://www.thejournal.ie/one-in-five-unemployed-2011-non-nationals-534685-Jul2012/.

I know these people left the cruelty and corruption of Nigeria to come here for asylum but these are tough times and the Irish people can't afford to be carrying the can for other countries people. How this amount of money is able to be sent home truly beggars belief. I know France had a problem with many non-nationals sending money home and introduced a tax on transferring money out for the country.

Before anyone says this a foreigner bashing thread, it is not. I have worked with several Nigerians in the past and have nothing but good to say for them and their work ethic. What I do have a problem with is these incredible figures and how this kind of money is being sent out of the country, I know it's an issue that has been raised in the Dail in recent times.

If they ernd it de can do wath de wanth with it dont be jellas of them

Annasopra · 19-05-2013 03:29PM

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Oh, you're like a broken record at this point.
You honestly don't think that it's even slightly worth investigating why fewer than 6,000 people (ie the 60% who are in employment and also aren't kids) are able to live in this economy and still remit c. 60,000 each back to Nigeria, AFTER tax?
Are they all CEOs or TDs? Bank directors? Rock stars?

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/have-you-heard-the-immigrants-ruined-britain-8609394.html

Cavehill Red · 19-05-2013 03:30PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Or maybe they're just living within their means? Plus you don't know how many jobs some of those people could be potentially working!

Let's go through it slowly. c. 60,000 a head per employed adult. Assuming 'living within their means' includes paying rent and bills, all taxes, and feeding and clothing themselves and children, that proposes an average pre-tax income of the average employed Nigerian in Ireland of well into six figures annually.
Again, I ask: are they all rock stars or Bank of Ireland directors? Senior Counsel Barristers? What? Because most of the working Nigerians I encounter are security guards, taxi drivers or run little corner shops selling second hand phones and computers, and I live in the ward with the biggest population of non-nationals in Ireland.

Miss Lockhart · 19-05-2013 03:30PM

losthorizon wrote: »

Actually Nigeria is not the biggest destination for money sent out of this country by foreign residents according to the World Bank as reported by the Irish Times but not reported by the Irish Independent for some reason.

Its actually Britain. But that would ruin a good story.

It would make sense as British citizens make up the biggest proportion of foreign people living in this country.

There are also far more British people in employment in Ireland. The issue is not the total amount being sent out of the country, it is the amount per person which seems unbelievable.

Is there a commensurate tax take from Nigerian workers in Ireland?

gallag · 19-05-2013 03:33PM

losthorizon wrote: »

Actually Nigeria is not the biggest destination for money sent out of this country by foreign residents according to the World Bank as reported by the Irish Times but not reported by the Irish Independent for some reason.

Its actually Britain. But that would ruin a good story.

It would make sense as British citizens make up the biggest proportion of foreign people living in this country.

But how much comes in from Britain? And how much comes in from Nigeria?

I wonder how much of this money is acutally sent to Nigeria by irish people being scamed? You know the old nigerian prince needing help to get money out of the country one?

wandatowell · 19-05-2013 03:34PM

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Hell there are Irish people abroad working at them moment sending money home from wherever they are!

That's the difference though, according to the above, 40% of the Nigerians are unemployed. So they are sending back their social welfare.
That's not fair imo.

Cut their social allowance and give them food stamps. Though I think that's a too straight forward solution to work tbh

p.s. I dont mean cut their social allowance totally, just a healthy snip

gallag · 19-05-2013 03:35PM

iramen wrote: »

If they ernd it de can do wath de wanth with it dont be jellas of them

You say whaaaa?

BattleCorp · 19-05-2013 03:36PM

wandatowell wrote: »

That's the difference though, according to the above, 40% of the Nigerians are unemployed. So they are sending back their social welfare.
That's not fair imo.

Cut their social allowance and give them food stamps. Though I think that's a too straight forward solution to work tbh

If they get that much money on Social Welfare, what the fcuk am I working for?

Cavehill Red · 19-05-2013 03:37PM

wandatowell wrote: »

That's the difference though, according to the above, 40% of the Nigerians are unemployed. So they are sending back their social welfare.
That's not fair imo.

Cut their social allowance and give them food stamps. Though I think that's a too straight forward solution to work tbh

p.s. I dont mean cut their social allowance totally, just a healthy snip

I don't imagine the bulk of this money is coming from social welfare benefits. I think this warrants a significant Revenue investigation into Nigerian-owned businesses in Ireland.

wolfpawnat · 19-05-2013 03:38PM

wandatowell wrote: »

That's the difference though, according to the above, 40% of the Nigerians are unemployed. So they are sending back their social welfare.
That's not fair imo.

Cut their social allowance and give them food stamps. Though I think that's a too straight forward solution to work tbh

I seldom see a Nigerian woman working, their place seems to be minding the children. From what I have seen anyway. But I have yet to meet an unemployed Nigerian man! Not saying they don't exist, just that I haven't personally seen one, and the few I know personally (not many, but 4-5) multi-job.

Montroseee · 19-05-2013 03:38PM

wolfpawnat wrote: »

As opposed to what we Irish have been doing since the 1840's???? We can hardly fling dirt at anyone else for doing it when we have been doing it for 170 odd years. Hell there are Irish people abroad working at them moment sending money home from wherever they are!

Did you read the article? If you did you must lack common sense. The issue is not with people sending money home, it is the sheer amount of it. I too live in an area with a lot of Nigerians. I find most of them are good people wanting a better life for themselves and their children. Take a look at that those figures though, there is something seriously wrong with it. Most of the Nigerians I know are sales assistants, restaurant workers, taxi drivers etc. How is someone in one of these positions able to send home tens of thousands? That is what you need to look at.

BrendaN_f · 19-05-2013 03:39PM

wandatowell wrote: »

That's the difference though, according to the above, 40% of the Nigerians are unemployed. So they are sending back their social welfare.
That's not fair imo.

Cut their social allowance and give them food stamps. Though I think that's a too straight forward solution to work tbh

targeting a single nationality instead of changing the system? no, that'll definitely go down well... oh and apparently nigerians are now getting ~200M in benefits a year... they've moved on from free prams i see :rolleyes:

Montroseee · 19-05-2013 03:42PM

BrendaN_f wrote: »

targeting a single nationality instead of changing the system? no, that'll definitely go down well... oh and apparently nigerians are now getting ~200M in benefits a year... they've moved on from free prams i see :rolleyes:

Nigerian's have the highest unemployment rate per nationality in the country, yet are able to send home the largest amounts per person by far. Do you not think that needs looking at?

wolfpawnat · 19-05-2013 03:43PM

Montroseee wrote: »

Did you read the article? If you did you must lack common sense. The issue is not with people sending money home, it is the sheer amount of it. I too live in an area with a lot of Nigerians. I find most of them are good people wanting a better life for themselves and their children. Take a look at that those figures though, there is something seriously wrong with it. Most of the Nigerians I know are sales assistants, restaurant workers, taxi drivers etc. How is someone in one of these positions able to send home tens of thousands? That is what you need to look at.

They multi-job a lot of the time, I am sure their incomes are higher than your usual low income job (which yes, they tend to work) as a result. I just wonder are these figures accurate.

I, like any other person here no doubt, would like to see if it is true, and if it is, how it is happening and is it legal, if not, then of course there should be consequences.

Zebra3 · 19-05-2013 03:44PM

The figures are either totally wrong or there is a serious crime issue.

That's it in a nutshell.

Yamanoto · 19-05-2013 03:50PM

losthorizon wrote: »

Actually Nigeria is not the biggest destination for money sent out of this country by foreign residents according to the World Bank as reported by the Irish Times but not reported by the Irish Independent for some reason.

Its actually Britain. But that would ruin a good story.

Indo did report it, but that incongruous Nigerian stat is naturally the one that jumps out at you.

The largest amount of money leaving Ireland was to Britain, at over €529m in 2011. This was followed by Nigeria (€468m) and Poland at (€174m).

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nigerians-send-nearly-500m-a-year-home-from-ireland-29278045.html

keelanj69 · 19-05-2013 03:50PM

Clearly they sell a load of those gammy hair extensions on Moore Street.

the_syco · 19-05-2013 03:57PM

I'd be more interested in where the money is coming from. With the Irish banking system being crap, my bet is that the money is coming from abroad through shell companies, and then probably sent to some warlords.

Are Ireland's 17,600 Nigerian residents able to send home 468 M last year???

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