Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this topic and I pay tribute to the work which he undertook, as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and as Minister for Justice and Equality, in regard to facilitating a whole-of-government response to issues affecting the Irish abroad, whether in the context of recent emigrants or the broader diaspora issues he is raising this evening, particularly with regard to those seeking to return to Ireland.

The Government's new five-year diaspora strategy, which I had the honour to launch in November 2020, owes much to the vision and strategic thinking underlying his work. A key pillar of that strategy is our people. This includes our goal to "empower vibrant Diaspora communities that are connected to each other and to Ireland" and the related commitment to be a voice for Irish citizens who wish to find pathways to legal migration, especially the undocumented in the US. The proposal which the Deputy has raised this evening touches on both of those areas. Under the existing scheme, which was developed by the Department of Justice under the Deputy's direction, the financial threshold for American citizens looking to take up residency in Ireland was set at €50,000 per person per annum, in addition to proof that they would have access to sufficient funds to cover any unforeseen major expenses. To a large extent, this adjustment of the threshold has meant that the majority of Irish Americans without Irish citizenship who are looking to retire to Ireland are in a much better position to do so.

The reciprocal agreements that we have with the US in regard to taxation and social security are another important aspect that needs to be borne in mind. As Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora, I am supportive of looking at how that scheme has operated to see whether additional modifications could appropriately be made to improve it further. I agree with the Deputy that there is particular scope to look at how we improve the provision of relevant information and communication in countries such as the US that are home to significant Irish diaspora communities about these opportunities, whether this relates to retiring to Ireland, returning here to set up a business, which is a programme for which we have doubled the funding this year - it is a very successful programme and we are hoping for even more success out of it this year - or to students travelling under the working holiday authorisation.

Irish America - comprising those who are Irish born, those who claim Irish ancestry and those with a strong affinity for Ireland - is of tremendous importance to Ireland. As the Deputy knows, we work closely with grassroots organisations and community groups right across America in support of Irish citizens. In 2021, my Department provided more than €4.22 million from the Government's emigrant support fund to support diaspora organisations in the US. This represents one third of our total expenditure on emigrant support. I had the opportunity to be in New York to announce some of that funding. Our relationship with our diaspora and emigrants in the US, as the Deputy said, is greatly important. The Deputy mentioned Covid. A dedicated Covid response fund was also set up to help these organisations meet the needs of those who are most vulnerable, including the undocumented.

In recent years, we have also expanded and reinforced our network of diplomatic missions across the US, including opening a new consulate general in Los Angeles in 2018. We will be opening a new consulate general in Miami this summer. We have established Ireland House operations in New York, Austin and San Francisco to provide for a team Ireland footprint. This includes not just our diplomatic but our economic State agencies. We have also worked closely with Culture Ireland to deepen our cultural ties by appointing dedicated cultural officers in the consulates in New York and Los Angeles.

Returning Irish emigrants or those of Irish heritage bring with them skills and knowledge gained abroad that help develop both the national and local economies. They help maintain and strengthen bonds between the Irish at home and abroad. Thankfully, as we move away from the restrictions, we will have a greater opportunity to engage with our diaspora.

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