This thesis uses historical and contemporary data to compare the population structure of Ireland over a 30 year period, focusing on immigration patterns through political policies and economic growth. Included are a short background on the topic of immigration, a short history of Irish emigration, and Ireland's accession to the EU in 1973. There is also an overview of the recent Irish economy and the EU's Open Borders policy as it affects migration patterns.

The body of the paper outlines the historic population demographic of Ireland over the last 30 years as well as the current composition using the recent government Census of 2006 and, to a lesser degree, the 2002 national Census. After outlining the general population composition the thesis transitions into the immigrant composition according to the Censuses and how the new immigrants compare in age, employment, etc. to the native population.

Economic and political causes of the immigration movement to Ireland is the focus in the remainder of the thesis. This attempts to determine how the expanding Irish economy of the and to late 1990s helped attract immigrants of all skill levels to Ireland and how EU migration policies affect the development of Irish immigration policies and Irish government policies on migration.