Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is welcome to this timely discussion on the diaspora. As other colleagues have rightly acknowledged, we are heading into a crucial period where we will redouble our efforts to engage with our diaspora around the world. I commend Deputy Cannon on his personal commitment to his role as Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora and the work he has carried out to bolster and energise that engagement. He understands and appreciates the important role that our diaspora plays. It is important that he acknowledges and understands the responsibility that we have to our diaspora, and that mutually beneficial relationship is very important.

I will briefly touch on a number of topics before my colleague contributes. It has been a great privilege to take on the role of spokesperson for the diaspora for the Sinn Féin team in the Seanad, and other Members might also feel the same. It has been a privilege to go overseas and engage the diaspora to see the fantastic work that members of the Irish community abroad are involved with, particularly the benefit they bring to the life in their home places. We have the privilege of seeing and hearing those success stories but I must also reinforce the point made by Senator Ned O'Sullivan that countless numbers of our diaspora are suffering or are under pressure. They need support from home, whether it is through a family structure, friends, colleagues or fellow club members, etc. It is positive that funding for the emigrant support programme has been increased under the watch of the Minister of State and I hope it will be directed in a way that can make practical and tangible differences to those people who need it most.

The announcement by the Government relates to something I have raised numerous times since coming to the Seanad. The Minister of State and I have engaged extensively on the issue of a referendum on extending votes for presidential elections to the diaspora. As we saw in a number of recent significant referenda at home, the diaspora has a crucial part to play and it wants to be invested in such a campaign. In this case it would give those people a tangible benefit in that it would give them a say in who holds the office of President, the first citizen. It is a symbolic office that represents not a land mass but the Irish people, no matter where on the globe they reside. That is why it is so important. A vote in such a referendum would be a vote for a fellow Irish citizen, which is positive.

The issue was not the responsibility of the Minister of State but as we enter into the debate, colleagues may commit to campaigning on the referendum as vigorously as they have said they will. I made the point here previously. The Minister of State stated, "It is an important statement to our citizens abroad and in Northern Ireland that we value them and their connection to Ireland". I live in Baile Mhic Gearóid, i mBéal Feirste. I do not have a connection to Ireland; I am in Ireland and I am Irish so I would just err on the side of caution when we make these statements on the diaspora so that we understand there is a difference between the diaspora and the Irish community and Irish citizens in the North of our country. It is important to make that important distinction.

I commend the Minister of State and wish him well in his work. Go n-éirí an bóthar leis. I wish him good luck as he travels to re-engage with the diaspora around the world. I am confident he will take the message of the importance of this referendum in October and lobby our diaspora to be just as active in it. Those with the ability to come home to vote should do so and invest in their fellow diaspora.