Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and it seems to be a major issue. We are trying to do it in a region, and we are doing it in the Cork region now in a foundation we have set up where we are trying to link in with the diaspora. We have been appalling over the years in keeping in touch with our diaspora. There has not been a call to them to ask them if they want to get in touch. I am not talking about those who are first generation emigrants; I am talking about second, third and fourth generation, particularly in America where their heritage is very important to them in terms of where they came from. There is a big tie in that regard.

The figure for the number of people coming back is interesting. A significant number of young Irish people who emigrated are coming back. We do not appear to have a breakdown of those statistics-----