and become a successful part of their new countries in time, particularly after a generation or two. But many don't and the poverty and exclusion felt in some of these communities in deprived suburbs of Paris, Brussels and other cities is a real problem for Europe.

The promotion of multi-cultural policies in Europe has been seen as the politically correct thing to do for some time. The aim has been to respect the culture of immigrant communities while encouraging them to be part of the new society in which they live.

The reality, however, is that multi-culturalism has often ended up being mono-culturalism, with immigrant communities living together in their own areas and doing little to accept the norms and values of the wider society.

There is nothing new in this,of course. Immigrants have always tended to gather together in particular areas (as the Irish and other nationalities did in parts of New York, for example).

The difference in the U.S., however, is that most immigrants quickly become proud Americans, even while retaining some of their own traditions and cultures. That has happened less in Europe.

One can see it in parts of Britain, for example, with particular districts in London and some Northern cities like Leeds and Bradford having majority immigrant populations where there is not much sense of being British among the youth.

For Ireland, out on the edge of Europe, these issues have so far not posed a problem. Even so, there are parts of the inner city in Dublin and some of the outer suburbs where there