Austin Deasy
Question:7 Mr. Deasy asked the Taoiseach if he will appoint a Minister of State with responsibility for emigrants.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministerial Appointment.
The best answer to the problem of involuntary emigration is the creation of employment in this country: as indicated in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress this is a primary policy objective of Government.
The activities of the relevant Departments, according to the expertise and resources available to them, are focused on the problem of emigration. At my initiative, an Inter-Departmental Committee on Emigration was established some time ago. The committee is under the chairmanship of the Department of Foreign Affairs, with representatives of the Departments of Labour, Finance, Education, Health, Social Welfare and the Environment.
Further, a range of advisory and information services for intending emigrants and those already abroad is provided by the Department of Labour through FÁS and by the Department of Education through their funding of youth organisations offering emigration advice.
The Deputy will also be aware of results of the action of the Government in the United States to achieve legislative reform and in bringing together the various organisations working there so as to provide a network of advice and welfare services for our citizens in New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. In the United Kingdom funding for emigrant welfare services has been co-ordinated for many years through the DÍON Committee.
In the circumstances I do not believe that the appointment of a Minister of State in this area is required.
In view of the great number of emigrants during the past ten years, would the Taoiseach not agree that they deserve to have somebody who has special responsibility for them? Although we have an interdepartmental committee it would not seem to be adequate, judging from the responses I am getting from emigrants, especially in London, regarding our country's response to them.
I would not like to be complacent about the problem, but the Deputy will have to agree that we have been making major efforts on behalf of emigrants, particularly in Britain and the United States. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has very specific responsibilities through our diplomatic service both in the United States and Great Britain and the Minister for Labour also has a very specific responsibility. Between those two Ministers I believe the best possible efforts are being made. Perhaps to appoint a junior Minister would be to downgrade the problem. It is a problem that is dealt with constantly at ministerial and even Government level.
I see that Deputy Monica Barnes has arrived on the Fine Gael Front Bench. I congratulate her on her recent appointment.
Thank you, Taoiseach.