Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, and thank him for his kind words. I am delighted he has been given this very serious brief. A few of the things I will say in a few moments will indicate how seriously I take this brief and the importance I attach to this Ministry. The Minister of State has immense experience, not only as an emigrant for a short while but also from his work at the Conference on the Future of Europe and his previous responsibilities. He brings great ability, communication skills and experience to the role. I am delighted that somebody of his calibre is dealing with this important brief.

Like the Minister of State, I spent a number of summers in London. It was a big deal in my day. The world was a different place but I used to spend the summers working in London among the Irish emigrants and did a number of months on one occasion that fitted me academically. I was doing a postgraduate course and was able to stay there. One particular summer extended for a long time. It was great, and I got to know the city. Then I did a long summer in America as well, where I met the emigrant community. Arising from the relationships and friendships I built as a local authority member and chair of a local authority and, indeed, since I came to this House, I have gone out on a number of occasions to meet the Irish associations in London and New York. Last year, I went out voluntarily to visit the Cavan association in New York and took part in its parade. All of that is important. It is amazing how much they value it.

This debate is important for three reasons. First, we have the bonds of kinship, the emotional ties and the friendship with our people abroad. They are our own people and we have those important ties. Second, the vast majority of the people who are abroad did not leave by choice. Most of them left out of economic necessity and we owe them. We have a debt to those people. In many cases, they sent the emigrants' remittances, which kept families in this country going. For that reason, I think we owe them. The third thing that is important is that they want to help us, and they can. They are ambassadors for us. They are good for developing our trade and business abroad, they are important for the tourism product and encouraging others to come and they create goodwill, which has been crucial to Ireland on many occasions, including in Europe during the Brexit phenomenon.

The emigrant support fund is very important and has been referenced by the Minister of State. It gives grants to organisations in the voluntary sector and provides advice and support. Since 2004, €250 million has been given to 850 organisations in 51 countries, of which 50% has gone to Great Britain and 30% to the US. Canada, Australia and New Zealand were the other main beneficiaries. This funding supports elderly emigrants, people to whom, as the Minister of State noted in welfare terms, life was not so good and who are now in difficult or marginal positions and need support. That is so important, but it also supports other emigrants, as well the GAA, prisoners and myriad people. That budget is increasing. Some €16,493,000 will be spent this year and in an important initiative, small grants of less than €30,000 will be provided. These can be more easily accessed by organisations. This is an important element of our support for our emigrants. It is good to see the funding improving and I know the influence of the Minister of State will see it improve again.

A new diaspora strategy is being developed and prepared. That is important. There is a two-pronged dimension to this. There are the old emigrants whom we all know, many of whom come from our own families or are neighbours and friends. They need welfare support. The new emigrants have a different need and many were in a much more fortunate position when they left. They had more skills but they need support too. They have a lot to give. That all has to be part of the new two-pronged strategy.A very important dimension, as the Minister referenced, are returning emigrants. We need people to come back to work in the specific sectors of construction, healthcare and education but also many other areas. We are all aware people who returned in the past had trouble with PPS numbers and driving licences. These people have also had trouble with insurance, which has been an issue. I hope that as part of the new strategy the Minister of State will, as part of his interdepartmental consultations, see his way towards alleviating these difficulties. It is so important that we encourage these people to come home, particularly as they are so badly needed. I do not believe that anyone in this House needs me to elaborate on that to any great degree. We encounter it every day in our work. The big item on the agenda at present is housing. There is a particular need for construction workers. We need workers in healthcare and education as well. To make it easier for people to come home, to encourage them and to make them welcome, this is a crucial dimension.

The time is coming when the Taoiseach will go to Washington to meet President Trump for the shamrock ceremony and so on. The question of the undocumented Irish arises in this regard. It was very apt that the Minister of State made very kind references to former Senator Billy Lawless. I, too, had the pleasure of serving here with Billy Lawless. He was just a wonderful man. As the Minister of State said, he was a wonderful advocate and he brought the whole issue of our undocumented into focus. In many instances, they are not able to come home for family funerals and so on. This is such an important thing. There is €4.5 million from the special fund going to the Irish organisations this year. Some €320,000 - the Minister of State can correct me if I am wrong - will be going to the Coalition of Irish Immigrant Centers in the United States of America. The issue of abuse victims and survivors abroad also needs to be kept in constant focus.

Ireland exports a huge amount of goods to the US. The value of these has soared to €72.6 billion. Exports to the UK are worth €78.8 billion. We need our Irish ambassadors and our diaspora out there batting for us in these very important economies, and they are willing to do it. It is important that they do so. As 17 March approaches, we take the opportunity to wish all our emigrants abroad a very happy St. Patrick's Day.