Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to organise a debate on the Irish overseas and the diaspora.

I spoke on this issue previously and Fianna Fáil has produced a policy paper on it. We seek the appointment of a Minister with responsibility for the Irish overseas and the diaspora. We have the largest diaspora in the world, ahead of India, Poland and Israel, yet we do not have anyone in government specifically in charge of this huge resource for the Irish people. The Irish overseas are immensely proud of their heritage, but we do not seem to be as immensely proud of them as they are of us. I am looking for an early debate on this issue and to see how we can engage in a constructive manner not only on issues of investment but on culture, education and a range of issues. We have 70 million people overseas and the nearly 3 million of those who hold Irish passports and live outside the State should be entitled to vote. We should address that issue also. Any republic that denies any citizen the right to vote cannot truly call itself a republic.