Just over six in 10 of respondents to a Xarabank survey said they would help irregular immigrants reach Maltese shores, provide them with food and care, but then send them back home.

The Attitudes Survey On Irregular Immigration And Racism was carried out by Malta Polls on behalf of the television programme, which will be shown on TVM this evening.

Nearly a quarter of the respondents said they would help irregular immigrants reach their destination, while 8.6 per cent said they would tell the immigrants to return to their country of origin, 3.8 per cent said they would accept them and 1.9 per cent said they would in no way help them.

The respondents were also asked for their reaction if one of their children told them that he or she was marrying a refugee (an irregular immigrant who was granted asylum status). Close to half said they would find an objection while a quarter said they would not oppose it.

Asked whether they agreed that children of refugees should attend the same school and classrooms of their children, more than eight in 10 said they agreed.

Nearly 70 per cent said that they would feel comfortable if a refugee took a job at their place of work.