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The Polish minority in the Republic of Ireland numbered approximately 122,585 (2.7% of the population) according to 2011 census figures, making it the largest minority in the country.
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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 (the others being the United Kingdom and Sweden). 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. During the 2007 Polish general election, Polish parties campaigned in Ireland and three voting locations were set up; in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick.
Since the 2008 economic downturn, the number of Polish people in Ireland has 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. Although since 2015 these numbers are again starting to grow.
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 (PESI) established in 2012. PESI embraces Polish supplementary schools in Ireland and widely cooperates with Polish government bodies and organisations working for the maintenance and promotion of Polish language abroad. Polish Educational Society in Ireland is a non-profit organisation, an independent NGO - limited company registered with CRO (525504).http://www.polskamacierz.com/english.html
The large number of Poles in Ireland led to the provision of a number of media outlets catering to them. Newspapers: "Nasz Glos" The Free Polish Weekly distributed across Ireland ng24.ie, 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 (This is Poland).
Online media in Ireland: