asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there has been a change in the Government's official policy on emigration, as indicated by his recent remarks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Government Policy on Emigration.
52.
There has been no change in the Government's official policy towards emigration.
The Government regard the current wave of emigration as representing a very serious national loss. It is a loss both in immediate terms for the family, friends and community of those who chose to emigrate and in the longer term for the country as a whole. The Government is most concerned at this development and is determined to do all in its power to alleviate the more immediate problems for our emigrants and to remove the basic causes of emigration in the long run.
The Government is approaching the most urgent aspects of the problem on three levels. In the first instance, it is making available through the National Manpower Service, which is responsible for implementing procedures governing the free movement of workers within the European Community and which has offices nationwide, information about working conditions abroad to those who wish to consider emigration as an alternative to seeking work in this country. Such information is geared both to alerting our citizens to problems they may face when they emigrate and to how best they may overcome them. Those who are considered to be inadequately prepared for conditions abroad are actively discouraged from travelling.
Secondly, the Government has welcomed moves for legislative reform in the United States. In this context I would remind the Deputy of the visit of the Taoiseach and myself to Washington in March and of my two recent visits to the United States. During these visits I had extensive discussions with groups in the immigration area and with prominent Irish American politicians. I am hopeful that the proposals for reform — in particular the Kennedy-Donnelly Bill — will be adopted and will help alleviate the problems facing many of our citizens in the United States.
Thirdly, the Government is providing active assistance and advice to our emigrants via our diplomatic missions. I would refer in particular, in this context, to the Dion Committee which is based at our London Embassy and on which Irish immigrant groups in Britain are represented. This Government is providing funding of the order of £250,000 this year for the operation of this committee.
Very recently I announced measures to improve the services provided by our consulates general in the United States. These involve the organisation of regular meetings of groups interested in the emigration issue, the appointment of an officer of the Consulate General in New York to deal on a full time basis with immigration matters and the extension of the Consulate General's advisory services.
As far as the longer term is concerned, I would refer to the provisions of the Government's Programme for National Recovery which identifies the “intensification of practical measures to generate increased job opportunities on a sectoral basis” as one of its chief priorities. The Government believes that the improved climate brought about by its fiscal and monetary policies which have already achieved significant results will stimulate investment confidence and greater economic activity, maintain existing employment and create new employment. Only when the economy provides jobs for all our citizens who wish to work in this country will we be able to contain emigration and the problems it brings in its train.