Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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64. To ask the Taoiseach the number of emigrants who have returned here for employment since the Government came to office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28247/16]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Statistics on migration are included in the CSO's annual Population and Migration Estimates release. The principal source of information for the estimation of annual migration flows published by the Central Statistics Office, incorporating both emigration and immigration, is the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS); the published estimates are classified by sex, broad age group, origin and destination, and nationality. The latest release was published in August 2016 and the latest annual figures available are for the year to April 2016.

The release shows that an estimated 79,300 persons migrated to Ireland in the year from April 2015 to April 2016. Of the 66,900 aged 15 years and over, 33,300 were classified with the principal economic status of at work.

In the year to April 2016, 21,100 immigrants had Irish nationality. The sample nature of the QNHS survey does not currently support a cross tabulation by nationality and principal economic status; therefore, a breakdown of the number of returning Irish migrants who are classified as at work can't be provided. The annual migration results between 2011 and 2016 are subject to revision following publication of final data from Census of Population 2016.