Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Senator has made a major effort to engage with people there.

Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú referred to the celebrations around our national holiday.St. Patrick's Day gives us a huge opportunity to connect with the world. No other country connects to the world on one specific day and we must capitalise to a greater extent on the opportunity. Some 200 iconic buildings all over the world will be greened. That we are allowed to do this is a statement about how we are respected in the world. In the Department I worked in previously, I brought together a group that examined how we could capitalise on St. Patrick's Day, have a more co-ordinated approach and be more on message as a country. I have continued that work since I came into this Department and I will accelerate the work after St. Patrick's Day. I also reference it in the policy document. It gives us a unique opportunity that every other country in the world is envious of. We are the only country that gets access to the White House on our national day. In America, the UK, Australia, Canada, Moscow, Beijing, Berlin and Amsterdam so many new events and parades are taking place. It is important we support the committees and perhaps they should be on one site where people can look at what is happening in various cities. People who want to travel as performers could offer themselves if that information was available. People looking to go from Ireland could find where to go using that mechanism.

I take the point raised by the Senator Ó Murchú that it is a great opportunity. The Senator also emphasised the value, apart from the fact that people are Irish, of the culture, games and literature, which are great calling cards. There is a value for tourism and a connection with tourism. It is positive to see the numbers coming from America exceeding all limits. Last year was a record, at over 1.3 million people, and it looks like demand this year has been very high. Bookings have been very high. Whether we go to the US, UK, Australia or the Middle East, countries I have been to, people are positive about Ireland. They admire the fact that we paid our way although there was a lot of pain for many people. Irish people are proud of the fact that, as a country, we paid our way. The reputational damage done through unscrupulous people, whether bankers or contractors, has been repaired. Much of it was done through cultures and artists and through reaching out around the world. There is great pride in people who have left and who see that their best opportunity of coming back to Ireland is if the economy is going well. When they read the indicators, in the Financial Timesor in other media that are available instantaneously, they hear that the balance of payments is in good order and the economy is creating jobs. That excites them and they know they have a better chance of coming back if they want to do so. They also take pride in the fact that they can boast about Ireland having the highest growth rate in Europe, 4.7% last year and continuing along those lines.

I am glad the Senator recognises the value of the civic forum. We must not forget the people who left Ireland and made huge remittances to Ireland. In some cases, they have fallen on challenging times and we must not forget them. In the UK, which provided huge remittances in the 1950s and 1960s, we have spent €86 million since 2004. The former Minister, Brian Cowen, set up the immigrant abroad unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the emigrant support programme has been very effective. Even when the country went through a challenging time economically, we maintained the level of funding for the diaspora. It made a positive statement to the diaspora that we were concerned about them and prepared to continue our funding of them, especially for welfare purposes.

Senator Ó Murchú referred to sending people out as the best means of communication. When I was in opposition, I remember being in Silicon Valley. My hometown is twinned with Las Gatos in the Silicon Valley and, over a number of years, I went there at my own expense. I remember Ministers were being attacked by those in opposition at the time about leaving the country. I was in San Jose from where, as pointed out by Senator Mark Daly, 40% of our investment comes. However, no Minister had gone there that year and the importance of Ministers going out and meeting people representing Ireland was pointed out to me. I have always been supportive of Ministers going abroad, even when it was more popular in media circles for me to go the opposite way. It is important to go out, promote Ireland and communicate with people. When we leave Ireland, we wear the green shirt and any time I went out when I was in opposition I spoke from the same hymn sheet as if I was representing the Government of Ireland. It is important that we support each other when we go abroad.

Senator Terry Brennan welcomed the fourth Irish economic forum. The civic forum is important in sending out the message that welfare is at the heart of our policy, that we are concerned about people who are challenged. We must also look at our diaspora as a challenge and an asset. Looking at the next global economic forum, which will be in November, it will be the first forum where we can report to the diaspora that things are beginning to turn in Ireland. As the Taoiseach said, our recovery to date is fragile but we are going in the right direction. The diaspora will get a sense of satisfaction from having been involved in this. They have been a part of supporting the recovery in various ways. The diaspora forum or the economic forum will be positive and upbeat from that point of view. There was a commitment to bring in young people and women into it. I will strive, as the line Minister of State for the economic forum, to ensure that happens. More young women, who are doing very well all over the world, will be present, as will young people generally.

The Senator mentioned a review of the diaspora policy after two years and we will certainly do that. Things are changing so quickly, including our relationship with the diaspora in a world of continuous flux, that we must change our policy to meet that change. The Senator also referred to preparation and the cross care migrant project launched last week. It is important because preparation is vital for young people going abroad. They must have a job and accommodation and know the people they are going to and the geography of the location. They must be really psychologically prepared, as well as materially prepared by ensuring they have money with them, which is not always the case. They must also be insured. One of the points made strongly to me in Australia in the centre in Bondi, is that people are turning up without insurance.That creates major difficulties for both the centres and for the people themselves if anything happens to them. I am involved with the American ambassador in advising J1 students they are important ambassadors for Ireland, as well as using it to prepare for their own futures and possible job opportunities in America. There are the occasional media headlines concerning some J1 students’ behaviour. While it is small in number, I hope next year there will be no examples of what happened in San Francisco last year. These are mainly isolated cases as most J1 students are good people who enjoy their experience. It is a good learning experience for them, preparing them for the future. They are also great ambassadors for Ireland.

Preparation is very important in this regard. When I was in Abu Dhabi and Dubai recently, it was emphasised to me by Irish emigrant groups that young Irish people going there need to realise it is a Muslim country and that some of the ways they entertain and enjoy themselves back in Ireland may not be acceptable there. Once they realise that, they will not get into any trouble. It is very important to know the culture of the country one is going to and to understand their laws if they are different from Ireland's. While Ireland has a good democracy with great freedoms, it might be different in other countries and people need to realise that.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Ó Clochartaigh as ucht an méid a dúirt sé faoin bpolasaí agus faoin gcearta vótáil. Tá suim mór agam sa topic seo. It is certainly a policy that I will be progressing. The Government asked the Convention on the Constitution to consider extending the franchise in presidential elections. We must be mindful the next presidential election will be in 2018 which means there is plenty of opportunity to put an extended franchise in place. The Cabinet considered this and decided, rather than putting it to a referendum now that would not be prepared properly, especially when there is a long lead-in period to next presidential election, it assigned the subject to the line Minister, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and myself to consider. We will examine the logistical problems such as who would vote, where and how they would vote. We have to examine all of these challenges and progress it to the next stage. While we have plenty of time, it may not be in this Government's lifetime as there are two referenda this year. The next Government should commit to a referendum on extending the franchise. The people will decide on this, not the Dáil or Seanad. I will come back and consult with the Seanad when the logistical issues have been considered.

Senator Ó Murchú proposed including the diaspora in the Taoiseach's appointments to the Seanad. The Irish in Britain organisation strongly recommended three Senators be elected by the diaspora, one for the America and Canada, one for Australia and Asia and one from the UK and Europe. This proposal is worth considering and would not have to go to a constitutional referendum. Former Senator Maurice Manning’s Seanad reform working group is examining this.

I disagree with Senator Daly on the presidency. The President is an important position, being the commander of our armed forces and signing Bills into law. The President is also a major figurehead abroad for the Irish nation too. When the President visited the UK for the first time last year, it got significant coverage. In the past, taoisigh have gone there but have not got the same amount of coverage or recognition. The President is a very important figure and it is important when people vote in presidential elections that it is very well thought through and the position is valued.

Senator Aideen Hayden acknowledged the remittances sent home by emigrants, a point often forgotten. These had a major impact in supporting their families at home such as by improving housing conditions, supporting younger family members going to college or purchasing land. Many of our emigrants made this significant contribution which afterwards was not fully recognised when they looked for support. There seem to be particular health issues with some Irish emigrants, particularly in the UK. Up to €86 million goes towards supporting the various Irish welfare centres in the UK which are doing major work. We also need to identify the different aspects of the Irish diaspora that require a special connection. Recently in New York, I met with the three Irish centres and the GAA there. We are providing funding through the immigrant support funding programme and, together with these organisations and Pieta House, a professional mental health service will be provided to the diaspora. I hope it will be successful because it could also be replicated in London and the UK. The European affairs committee's recommendation for the extension of voting rights to the Irish abroad is being taken seriously by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and myself.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, recently made an announcement about the national diaspora centre. He feels there should not be just one centre as the diaspora came from many counties, predominantly in the west, and each county could claim to have its own centre. The Irish Family History Foundation has discovered people searching their family history like to get directions to their ancestral homes or villages. On the other hand, the Minister stated that if an organisation like the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company wanted to set up a centre, then there is nothing to prevent it from doing so. I understand Dún Laoghaire has funding arranged for such a centre.

Senator Daly is very well-known on Capitol Hill, being probably the best-known Irish politician over there. He has worked very hard over there. The voting rights issue is important with our diaspora.It is not the only issue of importance to the diaspora but it is a very important one. If the right process and logistical arrangement can be put in place it could be a very significant way to connect with the diaspora. In reply to the Senator's reference to birthright, we plan to have a pilot project on the birthright issue. We are reaching out to people who have made suggestions in this regard. I hope that by the end of the year we will have the first of these young third and fourth generation people from whatever part of the world coming to Ireland to participate in an education programme in Irish culture and heritage. They will visit different parts of the country and gain an understanding of how our Republic evolved and of the current political situation in the island of Ireland. It is hoped that the pilot programme will become a programme such as is held in Israel. I have received many and very positive responses from all political parties about this programme.

The Government is considering the question of the number of consulates general in America and in Australia. I have been speaking to the ambassadors to America and Australia. Individuals offer their services as honorary consuls and such offers will receive serious consideration.

I thank Members for their attention. I will return to the House when we have developed our ideas on the issue of the voting rights.