Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his time this afternoon. I welcome the chance to have the debate on the Irish diaspora in this House as I often think that it is an issue that can fall by the wayside in the day to day proceedings of our domestic politics.

It is no secret that Ireland has had a long history of emigration reaching back to the 19th century and the time of the Great Irish Famine, with significant emigration numbers in the intervening period now resulting in an estimated 60 million people around the world claiming some form of Irish descent. While I do think that there is a great deal to be proud of when it comes to the achievements of our rich, varied and expansive diaspora, with many Irish Americans in particular becoming leading worldwide figures in commerce, politics and science, it is an unfortunate reality that they are abroad and are succeeding because for a long time Ireland was unable to create a country in which they felt they could succeed and flourish. Today that unfortunate reality has returned, with EUROSTAT reporting in 2013 that Ireland had the largest net emigration rate of any European member state. Many Irish young people in recent years have found that their home country has not been able to support them in finding appropriate employment, housing and ensuring that they are free to build a full and happy life here, especially as a result of the economic crash. As a result many have made the decision to leave, and in the context of our recent economic challenges who could blame them?

As legislators it is my firm belief that one of our greatest political priorities should be to consider how we can attract and convince our recent emigrants to return home. How can we show Irish people living abroad, young and old, that Ireland is a place that they can return to and that there is a place here for them? This is a huge, complex issue that covers a range of policy areas, but I do think that there are sensible and straightforward steps that could be taken. For example, to echo Senator Lawless on education, the fact that many Irish citizens abroad cannot access free EU fees when they come back here to study is a real issue. It is not the Department that imposes this but the individual universities. They can change that on an ad hoc basis. I do not know if the Department should play a role in having a universal rule across all the universities that they do not decide who they exclude and include on an ad hoc basis with regard to EU fees.

The most proactive initial step that we could take would be to strengthen the civil and participatory links between Ireland and its diaspora. A diaspora that is able to engage in Irish politics from abroad is a diaspora in the country that they have left behind and gives them a voice in how the country is governed and moving forward. As a result we should be looking at innovative new ways to politically engage with our diaspora, with moves such as the extension of the presidential voting rights representing a good first step.Moreover, one of the most welcome aspects of the debate on Seanad reform has been consideration of how the House could become a centre for political engagement and ensure the voices of the Irish abroad are heard in domestic politics, as proposed in the Seanad Bill 2016.

In terms of engagement with the diaspora, we should also consider using our embassies abroad to enable citizens living abroad to vote. The university panels provide a good model for how the diaspora could be included in Irish politics. In many ways, I and the other university Senators represent the diaspora, albeit only those who have a degree. In recent weeks, I have been back and forth to London meeting members of the diaspora, mainly Trinity College Dublin alumni. We should capitalise on their engagement, interest in their home country and desire to know what is happening here and how the country is moving forward. We must also ensure that representation of the diaspora in the Oireachtas extends beyond university graduates.