Ms Aileen Leonard Dibra:

I thank the committee for the invitation to address it on the matter of Irish citizens returning to live in Ireland. My colleagues have already been introduced. The Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers was established in 1996 to promote the welfare of Irish immigrants and to serve as the umbrella organisation for Irish immigration centres throughout the US. The coalition is a strong, cohesive and representative voice for the needs of its membership, of which there are currently eleven centres from coast to coast, and in turn the Irish diaspora at large. The coalition examines the needs of the Irish diaspora and supports its membership to enhance their direct service work by focusing on organisational and programmatic best practice, information sharing, data collection, national reporting and the distribution of current, accurate and reliable information on topics pertinent to the Irish community. These include, but are not limited to, US immigration policy, various social services and professional learning and thought leadership. The coalition diligently cultivates and strengthens relationships within the global Irish community, and values the opportunity to share information, perspective and collaborative opportunities in support of the Irish diaspora. We are thrilled to be here today with our colleagues from the Crosscare Migrant Project. It is a long-time diaspora partner of the coalition, with which we have collaborated on numerous times to ensure our information is current regarding policies and procedures for individuals and families intending to return to live in Ireland and making the transition home as smooth and streamlined as possible.

Coalition member centres provide an array of culturally competent and confidential services, outreach and assistance to Irish immigrants throughout the US. Though immigration may be the presenting problem for an individual, it is often coupled with a plethora of other challenges, including mental health and wellness concerns, community connection and, in some cases, planning a return to live in Ireland. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated issues faced by the whole Irish community as individuals and families lost employment, and travel restrictions caused increased concern for loved ones abroad due to forced separation of families. These challenges were particularly harsh for the undocumented community, with many employed in industries that were shut first and remained closed the longest, including construction, hospitality and other service-oriented professions. The pandemic and associated year-long shutdown resulted in loss of employment, diminished savings and crisis situations for these individuals, who were also ineligible to receive US Government benefits, such as unemployment stipends and federal pandemic relief moneys. Within this context, centres reported an increase in crisis returns, particularly from undocumented individuals and families looking to return to Ireland to live as a last resort. The pandemic became the last straw for many.

In recent months, a general sense of relief has been felt throughout the Irish community as the US reopens and resumes more typical modes of operation in all sectors. Requests for financial support related to Covid's impact appear to have largely ceased cross-country. Irish community members, however, are still recovering from unemployment and underemployment. In some cases, this has resulted in housing insecurity. The number of inquiries related to returning to live in Ireland has stabilised, though centres do report clients considering a planned return. These are mostly related to a desire to be closer to family and the availability of additional support at home.

Coalition members support individuals and families thinking of returning to live in Ireland in a variety of ways, including with information and resource sharing, case management and referral to other agencies, such as to our colleagues in the Crosscare Migrant Project. Additionally, several centres continue to provide services to their clients post return to assess well-being, provide case management and-or simply check-in. These ongoing interactions highlight the challenges for Irish citizens upon their return. These include aspects such as: difficulty adjusting to living in Ireland again; obtaining medical insurance; accessing health care; acquiring a driver's licence; obtaining car insurance; securing housing and sourcing employment; and sorting out registration for non-Irish family members for services, such as for children or spouses who are US citizens. Several areas of particular concern relate to converting professional certificates, such as nursing credentials, as well as medical repatriation for individuals in health crises in the US who would benefit from healing or long-term care close to family members in Ireland. The overall bureaucracy involved in these types of situations is challenging.

The coalition is thankful for the ongoing and generous support received through the emigrant support programme of the Government of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs. We also value the strong partnership we share with Ambassador Dan Mulhall and the staff of the Irish Embassy in Washington, DC, as well as with those in the consular offices across the US and other Irish Government posts. Once again, the coalition thanks the committee for this opportunity to meet with its members. We look forward to a robust conversation on the topic at hand. We are happy to answer any questions the members may have and to provide any additional information they might find helpful following the call.