Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2024
72. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 30 April 2024, if he will revisit the question and itemise the 30 recommendations in the report, with a correlated update on what work has been undertaken to address and progress the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20593/24]
View answerI want, first of all, to thank the Deputy for his ongoing interest in this important issue.
The report to which the Deputy refers, the 2018 Indecon Economic Report Addressing Challenges Faced by Returning Irish Emigrants, listed thirty recommendations to address challenges facing Irish emigrants returning to live in Ireland. These challenges ranged across matters related to housing, employment (qualifications) motor vehicles (licenses), welfare, healthcare, childcare, education (university fees, school places), immigration law, entrepreneurship, and general information for returnees.
However, although my Department has a coordinating role, the responsibility for the fulfilment of these recommendations spans multiple Government Departments and State Agencies. In order to reply as comprehensively as possible to the Deputy's question, we have asked the responsible entities for an update on the current position. The Deputy will appreciate that with multiple recommendations there are multiple respondents, and we are currently collating the responses as we get them. The issue is also on the agenda for a meeting this week of the Interdepartmental Committee on the Irish Abroad, on 9 May, which I will chair.
Once we have he most up to date information from the responsible entities and have discussed the matter at this week’s committee meeting, we will then be in a position to furnish the Deputy with a comprehensive and complete update on the situation.
