Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the presentation by the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan. I note that he states that the policy is evolving and that he is anxious to get input from everybody involved, which I very much welcome. The importance of the diaspora is very much reflected in Article 2 of the Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann, which refers to the special affinity of the Irish people with its diaspora. The work of the Minister of State is very important in that respect.

The Minister of State referred to social communications and the ever-more-important role of communications in terms of new social media. When we discussed the Estimates I raised a similar concern about those who do not use social media. We must ensure that our policies do not leave out the isolated and vulnerable people, who in many cases are the older population, and that their interests and issues are represented as well. We are aware of many instances of isolation, loneliness and mental health issues. I hope the various programmes, particularly the emigrant support programme, are targeted very much at welfare, with a special emphasis on the needs of the less well off and more vulnerable people. When the embassy organises a function in a particular country we know the people who are on the embassy list and who will attend, but there is always a cohort of people who are not reached.

We therefore have to develop policies to ensure they are. The Minister of State mentioned the emphasis on welfare in the emigrant support programme, which I welcome. I presume that is intended to assist the different organisations working with the more vulnerable members of the diaspora in cities throughout the world, particularly in Britain and the US.

A number of weeks ago, the former Úachtaráin of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael and its ard stúirthóir made a presentation regarding the GAA and its global remit to the committee. The Minister of State referred to the reducing influence of the county associations in his contribution. Oftentimes nowadays, emigrants are organised more through the GAA and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. I have attended Cavan and Monaghan association events over the years and I am concerned that the older age cohorts are the bedrocks of those associations. It would be a pity if the associations died out because they have an important role to play. Thought needs to be given by the departmental staff abroad to ensuring they continue to play an important role in conjunction with the GAA, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and other cultural organisations. The associations played a significant role in the past but they are not as influential or central as they were. Is thought being given in the Department to ensuring their work continues?

On the issue of communications, Deputy Durkan and I have raised at the committee the issue of the decision by RTE to cease its long wave radio service. The proposed cessation of the service has been deferred for a number of years. A suggestion was made that if it was to continue, it should be supported financially by the emigrant support programme but I disagree. RTE should fund it and there is a great onus on the organisation to ensure the service continues. This concerns people who do not have the competence to use modern technology and under no circumstances should those who avail of the service currently be deprived of it. The service is important in Britain in particular but it is also important in my province, Ulster, for example, in the glens of Antrim and other parts of County Armagh where people depend on the long wave signal to listen to RTE radio.

The Minister of State referred to the extension of voting rights. A decision should be made in a reformed Seanad to appoint a member of the diaspora to the House. There is plenty of scope to provide for that. All Irish citizens, regardless of where they reside, should be entitled to vote in Presidential elections. If we wait for systems to be put in place before a decision is made to extend the franchise, we will have to wait years. It would be preferable if a decision was made, for example, to extend the franchise for the Presidential election and then put in place the modus operandifor the electoral system, otherwise we will have report after report and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government or local authorities telling us it cannot be done and so on. A decision should be made to extend the franchise and then the system should be devised. It is not beyond the competence of the public service to put in place an electoral system to cater for such an extension.