Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. The huge resource that is the Irish disapora, approximately 60 million to 80 million people worldwide, in particular in English-speaking countries, including Australia and North America, was brought home to us with the recent visit of President Obama and Queen Elizabeth. Now more than ever, we need to tap into the potential of this huge resource.

Our genealogy service is fragmented. The Minister set out in his reply the various websites, archives and sources of information in this regard. We need to have a central venue wherein all these services are co-ordinated. For example, records in relation to President Obama's relatives were traced to a church in Offaly, Trinity College, where a close relative worked, and Dublin, where another relative was involved in trade. This demonstrates the need to provide a co-ordinated genealogical service. Rather than sending people to different places, we need to be able to direct them to a central service which holds all the information they require.

This matter requires further thought, in particular in regard to the huge advantages open to us in terms of connecting with these people in terms of job creation and attracting industry into the country. It would also assist us in attracting visitors to the country. There is a vast amount of goodwill towards Ireland following the publicity surrounding the visits of President Obama and Queen Elizabeth. Will the Minister give more thought to this matter and, in that regard, communicate with the various bodies doing marvellous work in this area? While I appreciate the availability online of the 1901 and 1911 census, many census returns were lost in the fire at the Four Courts in 1916.

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