by Alan Jacques
SINN Féin councillor Maurice Quinlivan has cited reports from both the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce as further examples that the Irish Government is not doing enough for emigrants who wish to return home.
According to the CSO, there are now more than 200,000 fewer people aged between 20 and 29 in Ireland than there was six years ago. Cllr Quinlivan believes this should be a major wake up call to Government.
“A few short weeks ago Government said that our young emigrants are coming back, however the facts clearly show a completely different story. History tells us that at least 50 per cent of those who emigrated from Ireland in the past were never able to return,” he said.
The City North representative also highlighted that the number of new graduates emigrating is higher than at any time in the previous six years. Last month over 7,000 young Irish citizens aged between 18 and 35 snapped up Canadian work visas in a matter of minutes.
A recent report from the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce showed that many Irish emigrants had the desire to return home but felt that there are significant barriers stopping them from doing so. Of those surveyed, 98 per cent felt that not enough was being done to encourage migrants to return home.
“It is worth noting that emigrants have identified four key barriers to their return: poor infrastructure; precarious working conditions and low pay; lack of career opportunities and progression, and a lack of affordable housing,” Cllr Quinlivan commented.
“Nothing has been done by this Government to address these problems in any meaningful way.”
