Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State's contribution. Opportunities for the diaspora are important issues for those people and the country as a whole. Some of those people are very successful. The descendants of the diaspora are important also, as many of those people connect with Ireland over several generations.

There is an opportunity to tap into their success.

I will mention one group of which the Minister of State is probably aware and which is local to me, namely, the Irish Palatine Association. Its headquarters are in Rathkeale. The Palatines came from Wexford, Carlow, Dublin, Cork and Limerick. There is still a large body of them in Limerick. Their association has connectivity throughout the world, particularly in the US and Canada. It is in contact with many members. Originally, the Palatines came from Germany in 1709 and settled in Ireland, but many went to the US later. There are many families in the Limerick area with names like Bovenizer, Ruttle, Miller and Switzer. I am one of the association's directors, but another is Christy Switzer from Tralee in the Minister of State's county. The families have a level of connectivity. There are regular exchanges with and visits to the Palatinate in Germany from where the Palatines came. There is an opportunity to extend the role of the Irish Palatine Association to introduce people to business and, in particular, tourism opportunities in Ireland. There is already a level of tourism. There is a museum with artifacts from 1709 Germany. Many people visited in 2009 for the tercentenary. Perhaps some of the Minister of State's staff might consider this suggestion and speak to the association to determine what opportunities exist for improving the relevant descendants' understanding of Ireland, given that some of them are only recent emigrants.

I look forward to the Minister of State's reply, but I must go as I have another appointment.