Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in welcoming our guests here today. I compliment them on the significant report they have provided to us.

I agree with much of what my colleague, Deputy Eric Byrne, said in regard to the changing nature of emigration. A figure I plucked out of the report was that emigrants gave an average rating of 5.5 out of ten for their quality of life while at home but that figure increased to 7.9 out of ten when they moved abroad, which is quite significant.

Deputy Bernard Durkan made some very significant points on how we should organise our efforts in regard to job creation and investment in order to ensure we reduce the significant emigration numbers. We talked about the 250,000 people who left in recent years and the impact that has had on our towns and villages. Irrespective of whether people are doing exceptionally well or are not doing so well, we should have a connection with them. That is why I strongly support the idea of the emigrant register. We now have a Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora. Knowing him, he is a man who will see the bigger picture in this regard and I certainly hope the witnesses make significant progress in their discussion with him on this.

It is true technology has made it much easier for us all to remain connected but the State should have a connection with people. Many families say they speak more frequently to family members who are now abroad than they did when those same family members were at home. I would have to concur with that. I have a number of nieces and nephews and I tend to make more contact with those who are out of the country than with the ones who are still at home.

It is appropriate that as more job opportunities become available at home, our emigrants should be aware of those possibilities and opportunities. We have skills shortages and it certainly would be an opportunity to highlight some of the hi-tech opportunities at home. Now that the construction sector is beginning to recover, I hope many people who have skills and who are dispersed throughout the world will find opportunities at home over the next number of years.

I hope the organisations working with people who might not be users of technology or who might be in more disadvantaged situations will take responsibility for registering them, or will help them to register, so that we are aware of them. It is important that people who might like to return home in their later years know about the availability and cost of housing at home and that they are kept informed. if people were thinking of moving back now, there is real value to be had in parts of the country. If we had a national register which provided that kind of information to people and kept people up-to-date on news from at home in the jobs area, it would be very useful.

The concept is good and would be made easier now that technology is much more advanced. I do not think it would require a large budget to achieve what the witnesses spoke about. I look forward to supporting the concept in my future discussions with the Minister of State. I thank the witnesses for a very fine presentation, which was very positive, although it contained some issues which we need to address as a country.