Introduction

The legal protections that are afforded – or, in many cases, are not afforded – to religious minorities right across the world are attracting increased attention. Although concern for the plight of religious minorities is certainly not confined to Western democracies, nor is it invariably related to the rapidly growing Muslim communities in such countries, migration patterns across, in particular, the Twentieth Century, from Muslim majority countries to Western, usually Christian majority, countries has in no small way contributed to placing the spotlight on these protections. This chapter highlights Ireland’s specific relationship with migration and highlights the importance of understanding how new minority, especially non-Christian, religions fit into the social and legal context in Ireland