New disapora strategy looks to help 'vulnerable' Irish emigrants, minister says

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.

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.

In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, 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.

“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.

“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.”

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.

“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?’

“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.”

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.

“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.

“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.”

Richmond rejects 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.

“We have so many friends, even in the current administration who may just have political differences, and across both parties.”

New York city Mayor Zohran Mamdani participates in the St Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

For those in a vulnerable position in the US or elsewhere, Richmond pointed to the Emigrant Support Programme.

Another element to the diaspora strategy is promoting Irish culture, sport, music, art and literature abroad.

“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.

“That could be your Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann branch in Boston or your Cumann na Gaeilge in Hong Kong.”

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.

“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.

“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.”

Minister of State Neale Richmond at an event marking 100 years of the Irish passport.

He added: “Last week I met with the Irish Chamber of Commerce in Montreal. There are Irish interest groups in nearly every city and country around the world, and we want to use this diaspora to look at the networks and bring together a central data base using new technology, all in line with GDPR, to make sure in every country there is a base template for a proactive Irish business network.

“In some countries this is already happening, in others it can be modernised.

“A great line I heard at a recent conference in San Francisco. A really impressive individual who had spent 20 years in Silicon Valley, she said, ‘I want to be at the stage where being Irish in Silicon Valley is akin to being a Stanford graduate’, whereby it’s a door-opener, an unspoken network.

“It’s not just about us looking for something from our diaspora, but how we can help them, and part of that is what is the image of Ireland abroad, how we seem as a business environment.”

He said the new diaspora strategy will continue to aid the work of the Emigrant Support Centre for everything from visa issues to support for people looking to return home.

“That’s a place where people can come for support. Maybe their green card visa is due to lapse, they can get help with applying and retaining, or maybe they’re maybe married to an American and just need advice.

“There is always a focus on the US, particularly with the current political backdrop. There are also Irish people who overstay their visas in Australia or Canada, and they just require support.

“‘I’ve overstayed my visa, how do I get my affairs in order to move home and make sure this doesn’t come after me?’… that’s an example of another issue, but in those countries there isn’t the worrying political backdrop.

“I suppose when you look at the vulnerability side, when you see what is happening, due to demographic trends this will happen in other jurisdictions.”

Isolation is another theme of the report, which looks at Irish people who may be struggling having moved to the UK for work decades ago.

Richmond said the report also emphasises that emigration is not always a negative, and that it has had huge benefits for modern Ireland.

Over the last five years more Irish people have come home than moved abroad.

“Emigration is not always a negative. It’s a positive for brand Ireland abroad, it’s a positive that brings back huge return. We have a responsibility therefore to make sure people are best prepared before they go, to make sure exactly what your immigration responsbilities are. If you’re going to the US on a year-long J1 visa, five or six months in you really need to get your affairs in order then if you want to stay on, not just before it lapses.

“You need to know your legal responsibilities in the UAE, beyond cultural differences, what are your legal and taxation responsibilities, also Australia is a big one… a lot of people think ‘it’s the same as Ireland, just sunnier and people speak English, it’s straightforward’, and it is a great place to go but it presents problems people don’t appreciate.

“We have a great portal for people returning to Ireland, but we also have more information for those who are about to leave Ireland.

“It’s the responsibility of government but also the more people know the less they need consular help.”

“The returning to Ireland aspect is a really important aspect,” he explained.

“In 2024, 35,000 Irish people moved abroad, 31,500 Irish people came home. Over the last five years more Irish people have come home than moved abroad.

“That’s something which wasn’t there when we talk about our history of migration. Ultimately a lot of people come home. Not everyone does, and we want it to be easy for those who want to.”