Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regional balance should be a mantra and we should work towards it. Obviously, the first objective is to achieve inward investment.

A significant diplomatic objective should be to achieve retrospective compensation of this country, as promised, on foot of the approximately €24 billion that was put into the banks to rescue them. We have done badly in the sense that we were the first country in this position. We were early and are almost victims of our own success as a consequence. Will the delegates respond on the role of foreign affairs activity in achieving that legitimate objective?

Unfortunately, I missed some of Ms Cross's contribution as I was speaking in the Dáil. Perhaps she mentioned the diaspora. An objective of the review as set out by the Minister in December is to examine our approach to the Irish diaspora. I know representatives from the diaspora and go frequently, at my own expense, to the Cavan associations in England and elsewhere. I consider my doing so vital. There are many emigrants in England who went there in the 1950s, and they are in a very bad way on a number of levels. The audience here is too intelligent for me to elaborate on this; it knows what I am talking about. Are the delegates happy that we are responding adequately to that challenge? Should a review suggest that more resources should be made available? We have an unquestionable moral responsibility to do something. We let emigrants go out into the world with minimal and perhaps very barbaric schooling and no resources or life experience. From the very rural environment of their childhoods, we sent them to an urban setting that was completely alien to them for a while. The results are horrific in many instances. We have an extraordinarily significant moral responsibility and I make no apologies for my saying so.

I contend without exaggerating that I am receiving anecdotal evidence of a diplomatic issue that concerns everyone addressing us today and their organisations, namely that many young Irish emigrants to Australia are in a bad way.

Their living costs are enormous and they are living in squats with too many in the one room. I am getting a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest there is a problem in this regard and it should be part of a review. Similarly, the undocumented Irish in America remain a constant issue.

Does Dr. Ivory believe Ireland should have maintained the IDA Ireland link with Taiwan? Like Senator Catherine Noone, I had the privilege of visiting Taiwan and was impressed by its potential market, as well as its willingness to do business with Ireland. How does Dr. Ivory believe we can reconcile dealing with Taiwan with our efforts to expand into China also?

The European Parliament has expanded powers, particularly in the budgetary area. Have we enough input from our Irish MEPs and at a diplomatic level to have the necessary influence in the European Parliament?

The most imminent threat to Ireland is the potential departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. While it is not probable, it is possible. All of our diplomacy should be centred on preventing this from happening. This should become a major objective of Irish foreign policy. We are an equally friendly partner and 57% of our trade is with the United Kingdom. As a Border Deputy, it behoves me at every opportunity to caution against the risk of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. We must make efforts to support initiatives within the Union to reconcile the United Kingdom's position in it and convince it to stay. If it were to leave, it would be enormously problematic for this country and the Border areas I represent.