Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree wholeheartedly with Senator O'Loughlin's remarks on Changing Places. It is transformative in terms of what it does in helping families facing real difficulties in daily life. The dignity of knowing they have support for their loved ones and that they can plan a day or a series of days out makes a real difference in their lives. This is something I have raised in the Seanad previously, so I would support working with Senator O'Loughlin and other colleagues into the future.

Throughout this week a number of us have referenced the fact the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly will take place at the weekend. A number of Members of this House and the Dáil will travel to represent the Oireachtas. There is a large, engaged and active Irish diaspora and community in Britain. It has been a challenging and difficult time for it. It has been an uncertain time, not least with Covid-19 and with Brexit and everything that came with that. I call for statements on the diaspora strategy from Government. It is timely as we have not had those statements in this term. In regard to the diaspora, we would need to keep in mind that we need to be engaged and active on this issue beyond and around St. Patrick's Day, and that is not to demean or belittle anything that is done around St. Patrick's Day. It is a very important time for the State and for all of us. If Covid-19 has shown one thing, it has shown that we can be connected in ways that we never had before. There is an opportunity for us all to engage with the diaspora using new technological means.

I have long advocated in this House for the referendum to extend presidential voting rights to the diaspora and citizens in the North. That remains a very live and active call. That is perhaps something the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for the diaspora could update us on. As we emerge and reconnect, please God, post-pandemic, it would be timely that we have an update on the strategy and on how the Government and the State support services throughout the world are engaging with the diaspora to ensure it has all the support and help needed to get back on its feet, whether business organisations, cultural organisations or our Irish community.