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

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. It is a welcome development. As the Tánaiste stated in his reply, it was an issue that arose following the study in 2009 of the Irish-United States relationship and also an issue that was discussed at the first Global Irish Economic Forum in Farmleigh. Deputy Martin, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, spoke in 2010 about the idea of harnessing the Irish diaspora of 70 million people but there must be a connection back to our own island where it is not possible to give citizenship.

Am I correct in thinking that there were incentives planned originally to go with this certification, and is the Tánaiste happy that the self-declaration is adequate and does not diminish the status of an important document and of an important link between so many of Irish extraction living in Canada, Australia or the United States? Is he happy with the figure to date or did he expect a better take-up of this initiative?

See this speech in context