Polish minority in the Republic of Ireland


The Polish minority in the Republic of Ireland numbered approximately 122,515 according to 2016 census figures.

History

After Poland joined the European Union in May 2004, Ireland was one of just three existing EU members to open its borders and welcome Polish workers. Ireland quickly became a key destination for Poles wishing to work outside the country; in 2004 a website advertising Irish jobs in Polish received over 170,000 hits in its first day.
In the period immediately following the 2008 economic downturn, the number of Polish people in Ireland declined, with some reports suggesting that 30,000 were leaving Ireland per year, and the Central Statistics Office reporting a decrease in the number of Polish people applying for PPS numbers.
Polish people living in Ireland can vote in Polish elections. On Election Day there are special ballot stations provided in Belfast, Cork, and Limerick as well as in the country's embassy in Dublin. Consequently, Polish political parties campaign in Ireland for electoral support.

Language and media

Polish, although not officially an established subject, can be taken as part of the Irish Leaving Certificate examination as is the case with all official languages of the European Union. The exam used is based on the paper of the European Baccalaureate. The biggest Polish umbrella organization is Polish Educational Society in Ireland, a non-profit organisation established in 2012. PESI sponsors Polish supplementary schools in Ireland and widely cooperates with Polish government bodies and organisations working for the maintenance and promotion of Polish language abroad.
The large number of Poles in Ireland led to the provision of a number of media outlets catering to them. Newspapers: "Nasz Glos" is a Polish weekly freesheet distributed across Ireland; Polska Gazeta and a section in Dublin's Evening Herald entitled "Polski Herald". Dublin cable television channel, City Channel, also features a programme aimed at Poles in Ireland entitled Oto Polska.
Other online media in Ireland: