David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish citizens who are permanently resident abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13763/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is no legal requirement for Irish citizens living abroad to register with their nearest Embassy. As such, no official figures are available for the number of Irish citizens who are permanently resident abroad.

During 2009 our diplomatic missions issued 81,000 passports to Irish citizens ordinarily resident abroad. The most recent US census recorded 124,000 Irish born residents, although some 42 million people claim Irish ancestry. The 2001 census in Britain showed that there were 750,000 Irish born people living in Britain and it is estimated that a further 1.7million people are born to Irish parents. There are also significant numbers of Irish citizens living in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Canada.

The Government takes a broad and inclusive approach when it comes to defining our global community. The Irish Diaspora is not limited to Irish born people living overseas or to those who have activated Irish citizenship. Instead, it encompasses all those who believe they are of Irish descent and feel a sense of affinity with this country. I believe it is essential that we in Ireland value and affirm the validity of this sense of Irishness, felt by so many people abroad.

Supporting Irish communities abroad is a priority for this Government. Since 2004 almost € 70million has been allocated, through the Emigrant Support Programme, mainly to Irish community organisations throughout the world. Despite the difficult economic situation, a further €13million has been allocated to the Emigrant Support Programme for 2010.

The Government has also developed new initiatives aimed at creating a more strategic relationship with the global Irish, particularly in the economic sector. The Global Irish Economic Forum and the subsequent establishment of the Global Irish Network clearly demonstrate our commitment to achieving this objective.