Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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472. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of times the interdepartmental committee on the Irish abroad has met since it was established; if it has met to discuss the obstacles hindering Irish emigrants from returning to live here; and if not, if he will arrange a meeting of the committee to examine this issue. [10353/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Interdepartmental Committee on the Irish Abroad was set up following the publication of Global Irish – Ireland’s Diaspora Policy, in March 2015. The Committee, with participation from external stakeholders and Irish embassies and consulates as required, seeks to ensure that Government works in a joined-up way to realise the objectives of the diaspora strategy.

The Committee is chaired by the Minister for Diaspora Affairs and brings together key Government Departments and State Agencies. The Department of the Taoiseach provides the Secretariat for the Committee. As set out in the Diaspora Policy, it meets on a quarterly basis and will report periodically to Government on the progress of the policy.

Since its inception the Committee has met on six occasions.

Since his appointment in 2016 Minister of State Joe McHugh, T.D. has convened the Committee on a quarterly basis. In the two meetings chaired by Minister of State McHugh to date, discussion of disproportionate burdens facing Irish citizens wishing to return home has been the main agenda item.

Discussions chaired by Minister of State McHugh, with input from diaspora organisations and citizens, have identified a number of recurring issues such as: job opportunities, habitual residency, access to affordable housing, access to schools and affordable childcare, recognition and transfer of driving licences, high rates of motor insurance, recognition of qualifications, social protection issues including transfer of pensions.

On 24 November organisations working with citizens returning to Ireland who are financially supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Emigrant Support programme were invited to present to the Committee their experiences assisting returning emigrants.

Departmental updates will be discussed at the next meeting of the Committee, which is scheduled for the end of March 2017 and the main agenda item will again be barriers and disproportionate burdens facing Irish citizens wishing to return home. The timing of the next meeting is to allow Ministers to report back on issues raised by our communities abroad with them during their St Patrick's Day travel programmes.