Mr. Niall Burgess:

I thank the Chairman. I am pleased to appear before the committee this afternoon to discuss the work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and embassies and consulates abroad in support of Irish emigrants, and more broadly, in engaging with the Irish diaspora. I will focus my initial comments on current issues facing the Irish abroad, in particular the undocumented in the US and on the follow up to the last Global Irish Economic Forum. Much of this work is co-ordinated by our Irish abroad unit and I am joined today by my colleagues Mr. Joe Hackett, director of the unit, and Mr. Karl Gardner, the deputy director.

It is fair to say that for as long as Ireland has had a diplomatic network, the Department and its network of missions have always worked closely with Irish communities abroad. This work took on an even closer and more practical character following the report of the task force on policy regarding emigrants in 2002. This report led to the establishment in 2004 of a dedicated unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Irish abroad unit, whose task was to help address the needs of our most vulnerable emigrants and to provide policy support to the Government's engagement with the diaspora. Since then, the unit has been fortunate in the strong bipartisan support and assistance it has received from the Oireachtas and this committee.

Members will be aware that globalisation and communications technology has changed, in a significant way, the nature of the debate surrounding diaspora engagement. From a position whereby our people abroad were considered as distant and separated, international discussion now revolves around building mutually beneficial partnerships with these communities, which help to support a strong connection by addressing the needs of those communities in their new homes, and also by drawing more actively on their knowledge, experience and goodwill.

Ireland is not alone in this objective. Other countries, such China, India and Singapore, devote increasing thought and resources to harnessing the potential of their diasporas. I am pleased to say, however, that Ireland has remained to the forefront of this work. Whether in delivering peace in Northern Ireland, spurring economic development, raising awareness of our culture or creating a positive brand in their adopted homes, we are fortunate to possess a global Irish presence which makes an ever more valuable contribution to Ireland.

Today, our diaspora engagement policy has two key strands. First, through the emigrant support programme, we work with almost 200 Irish community organisations in over 20 countries to provide support to Irish emigrants. Since 2004, Irish groups ranging from those providing front-line services to those most at need, including the elderly, isolated, vulnerable and new arrivals to those working in the culture and heritage space have received grants of over €100 million.

In line with recommendations made by this committee, we are engaging with communities which are receiving larger numbers of new emigrants such as those in Australia and Canada. In Canada, we support the new Irish Canadian Immigration Centre in Toronto, while in Australia, the main welfare bureaux in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane all secured additional funding in 2012.

Our embassies in Canberra and Ottawa are also working to provide support to new communities in more distant centres in Western Australia and western Canada. Indeed, projects aimed at supporting the needs of new emigrants are a very specific focus of the 2013 programme, which has just closed.

Immigration reform is an issue affecting the welfare of many Irish people living in the United States. We are keenly aware of the strong interest of this committee in the situation facing the undocumented Irish in that country and are appreciative of efforts by the Chairman and members in support of these people's plight, particularly during their visits to the United States. A resolution of this matter has long been a priority for the Government in its ongoing contacts with the United States Administration and Congress. The Government has also attached great importance to providing for future flows of migration between Ireland and the United States through the extension of the so-called E3 visa scheme to include Irish citizens.

In this context, we very much welcome the recent publication of the United States Senate Bill 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Bill , which provides for reform of the immigration system. This legislation, which was drafted over several months by a bipartisan group of eight Senators, includes provisions that would help to resolve the plight of thousands of undocumented Irish people who are living illegally in the United States. It also provides for future flows of legal migration between Ireland and the United States. Its provisions, if adopted, would help to end the great hardship and uncertainty faced by undocumented Irish in the United States and their families here in Ireland. The inclusion of a new provision to allow several thousand Irish citizens to avail of legal employment opportunities every year is particularly welcome.

Both of these issues were a key focus of the ongoing contacts undertaken by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste with political leaders in the United States, particularly during their visit to Washington DC in the week of St. Patrick's Day when they discussed the prospects for progress with Ireland's key friends on Capitol Hill and in the Administration. The Government has maintained close contact with the key players through our Embassy in Washington since the publication of the Bill. The issues involved are complex and sensitive ones within the United States political system and much further debate is likely to be required before the final shape of any agreed legislation becomes clear. The Tánaiste and Ambassador Collins and his team in Washington will continue to work towards securing a solution for the undocumented. We are again fortunate to be supported in this work by several Irish community organisations, including the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

The second element of our policy is focused around the work of the Global Irish Network, a group of more than 300 of the most influential Irish-connected business figures drawn from almost 40 countries. Established after the first Farmleigh forum, the network provides invaluable advice, facilitation and practical assistance to the Government and Irish companies. As I said, we are very fortunate that we can call upon the reservoir of goodwill, expertise and support that exists among our diaspora. In October 2011 we saw a powerful demonstration of this commitment when 270 members of the Global Irish Network travelled, at their own expense, to the Global Irish Economic Forum in Dublin Castle. This ambitious event built upon the initial forum convened at Farmleigh in 2009. As the Chairman will be aware, having participated in the forum at Dublin Castle, the members of the Global Irish Network are deeply committed to making a practical contribution to this country's recovery and further development.

The outcomes of the forum provide tangible evidence of the benefits to be gained by engaging with our overseas communities. At this stage all the key outcomes have been completed or significantly progressed. For example, as a direct result of the forum more than 320,000 additional tourists are expected to visit Ireland this year through The Gathering. Network members have acted as ambassadors for The Gathering initiative and several have organised significant events in Ireland as part of that initiative. In the area of job creation we have worked through investment events in New York and Dublin to target new sources of foreign direct investment. Since its launch in March 2012, more than 6,280 people have registered with ConnectIreland and 800 companies have been suggested to it by people from across the world. Fifty of those companies are now in advanced discussions regarding locating in Ireland.

In the area of education and training, the Farmleigh Fellowship will provide 100 Irish graduates with Asian experience over the 2010-2015 period. There has also been support for Irish small and medium-sized enterprises, with more than 100 participants signing up to the Global Irish Contacts programme, which directly links the diaspora with Irish companies looking to achieve international growth. The programme now has expertise in 32 markets across 14 sectors and facilitated 70 engagements in 2012, including in Korea, Singapore and the United States. Engagements have continued this year in areas such as one-to-one mentoring and advice, market and sector briefings, trade missions, sectoral events and investments. Our SME sector policy has also been positively shaped by advice provided at the forum. Members welcomed the introduction of the temporary partial credit guarantee scheme and micro-finance fund and the appointment of successful entrepreneurs as international start-up ambassadors.

The development of the Global Irish Network is helping to shape a forward-looking, strategic relationship between Ireland and our diaspora and has facilitated individuals taking on specific projects. For instance, my colleague at the Anglo-Irish division, Mr. Sean O'Driscoll, is working closely with our Embassy and State agencies to enhance our relationship with Japan. Last year Mr. Irial Finan of Coca-Cola organised an Invest in Ireland round-table conference in Dublin to coincide with the Navy versus Notre Dame football match.

The Tánaiste has decided to convene a third Global Irish Economic Forum in Dublin Castle on 4 and 5 October. The overall focus of the forum will be job creation and, in line with the views of the membership, the emphasis will be on four specific issues, namely, overcoming the challenges facing the domestic economy, with particular emphasis on tackling youth unemployment; financial services and public financing; technology; and education, with particular emphasis on higher education. While the format and programme remain to be finalised, the forum will include several new elements including direct engagement between the forum and the Irish SME sector, greater involvement of the third level sector and greater participation by network members in developing and facilitating discussions during the forum.

I hope I have provided a useful overview of some of the work undertaken with and in support of the Irish abroad by the Department. I and my colleagues will be happy to answer any questions members have.