Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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229. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he and his Department can encourage the return of Irish immigrants currently based abroad, with a view to meeting workplace requirements for extra staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31961/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and its Embassy network, as well as other Departments, to implement the Government’s Diaspora Strategy, Global Ireland- Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025, which was launched in late 2020. The effective coordination of the implementation of this strategy across Government will be carried out through the Interdepartmental Committee on the Irish Abroad, chaired by the Minister for the Diaspora, and Officials from my Department participate in this Committee. The Department of Foreign Affairs leads on the implementation of this strategy.

Global Ireland sets out a number of actions to strengthen our connections with diaspora communities and to harness the contribution from the diaspora to support our economy, including through promoting and facilitating the return of Irish emigrants.

The strategy recognises how returning emigrants bring with them skills and knowledge gained abroad that can help develop both the national and local economies. To support this, the Government also recognises the need to minimise the challenges faced by individuals and families returning to Ireland. The strategy commits to a number of actions to support the return of members of the diaspora.

These include monitoring barriers to return and adopting measures to remove them where possible; the negotiation of reciprocal agreements with countries that are home to significant Irish diaspora communities, such as double taxation and social security agreements; improvement of the provision of information on returning to Ireland and providing information for Irish citizens living overseas, including the dissemination of information on skills needs; and the expansion of mutual recognition and the portability of academic or professional qualifications earned overseas.