The new diaspora strategy will include a key focus on Irish people abroad who are vulnerable due to their immigration status, according to the junior minister in charge of the plan, reports Breaking News.
Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2026-2030 was published by Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora Neale Richmond at the Global Irish Civic Forum in Croke Park, reports Breaking News.
In an interview, Fine Gael TD Richmond said: “This is the most difficult period for undocumented Irish in America ever. When we talk about vulnerability it is a difficult space.
“One vulnerable cohort always there, but it is more pronounced at the moment, is those for whom immigration status is a big worry, reports Breaking News.
“That’s not just in the United States, it’s in Australia and other non-EU countries… but in America it is more pronounced now than it was previously.
“We would always have spoken about undocumented and worked with American friends to try and get them normalised and provide pathways, but — needless to say — the shutters have gone up on that with this administration and they are taking a very proactive anti-immigrant approach, reports Breaking News.
“This is causing huge concern and huge vulnerability, which is all included in our report. When we were putting together this report we took on a massive engagement process over the last year.
“We had 23 in-person consultations in 17 different countries. We also had the first ever Global Irish Survey which received over 10,000 submissions… we were quite blown away by that,” reports Breaking News.
Preparation for the new diaspora strategy included consultations with Irish centres in New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, which are all cities with sizeable Irish populations.
“We got responses from people who feel vulnerable, particularly those who are undocumented, reports Breaking News.
“We have people in their 60s sitting at home watching news reports and television adverts for ICE, they’re seeing stories of Alligator Alcatraz in Florida.
“They’re really worried, ‘what if I break a red light and get picked up?'” reports Breaking News.
“This constant worry is driving some into other problems, leaning on alcohol, the fear leading to addiction issues.
“It also goes beyond that, I’ll be frank and I don’t like saying it because it’s a country I have so much respect for, it can be a difficult place to be a person of colour, it can be a difficult place for people from the LGBTQ+ community, it can be a difficult place for women, and a difficult place to be for an immigrant whether you are legal or undocumented,” reports Breaking News.
Richmond pointed to the recent trend of Americans, and those of Irish American heritage, seeking to relocate to Ireland.
“Last year, five times more people moved from America to Ireland than people from Ireland moved to America, reports Breaking News.
“That is unprecedented. We think of people moving from Ireland to America for work, for opportunity, for family reasons. Now we’re seeing more Americans looking to come to Ireland and there is a political edge to that.
“It might not necessarily mean any immediate concern, but that is the backdrop. The number of Americans looking into whether they qualify for an Irish passport going up massively, reports Breaking News.
“We saw that post-Brexit in the UK where we had that huge rush of people claiming their passports for Irish ancestry, now we’re seeing an American version of that, obviously with smaller numbers,” reports Breaking News.
Richmond rejected the assertion that the Irish American relationship is not what it once was, insisting it is just different.
“It’s not that it’s not as strong, it’s just different. There’s only one member of Congress now who has Irish-born parents. Less Irish people are moving abroad. However, the Friends of Ireland group in Congress is larger than ever before and more diverse. One of the groups we have done a lot of work with is the African American Irish Caucus. People of mixed heritage who are just as proud of their Irish heritage as they are of their heritage from the Caribbean or wherever it may be, reports Breaking News.
“We have so many friends, even in the current administration who may just have political differences, and across both parties,” reports Breaking News.
For those in a vulnerable position in the US or elsewhere, Richmond pointed to the Emigrant Support Programme.
Another element of the diaspora strategy is promoting Irish culture, sport, music, art and literature abroad, reports Breaking News.
“There have been seven Canadian prime ministers with Irish heritage, including the incumbent Mark Carney, over 20 US presidents.
“An important part of the strategy is that we support groups who promote our culture, reports Breaking News.
“That could be your Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann branch in Boston or your Cumann na Gaeilge in Hong Kong,” reports Breaking News.
He also said there are business opportunities that did not exist in the past.
“The third pillar is a new dynamic, one that I am putting a heavy emphasis on, reports Breaking News.
“In previous diaspora outreaches we would have relied on the Irish abroad to fund the country, particularly post the economic crash. Enda Kenny visited and appealed to Irish America.
“The economy, despite many issues, is going well, we have effective full employment and a growing economy despite challenges, societal and otherwise, but we are not ‘on the ask’ as such, like before, reports Breaking News.
“This gives us an opportunity, what does the economic relationship of having a large diaspora look like? How do other countries do this well?
“This is where we look to use how the diaspora provides a great gateway for Irish exporters, but also to provide an opportunity for both inward investment and importation of goods or services,” reports Breaking News.
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