A New Diaspora Policy for Ireland
News
09 July 2019In June, the Consulate hosted three diaspora dialogue events in Memphis (top left), Atlanta (right) and Nashville (bottom left) to gather views on our new diaspora policy.
A New Diaspora Policy
Ireland is fortunate in having a diaspora of 70 million people around the world. Our relationship with this global community is something we should cherish and celebrate. Global Ireland: Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025 – the Government’s plan to double our international presence - commits us to introducing a new diaspora policy in 2020. This new policy will guide Ireland’s engagement and relationship with our diaspora: our emigrants, our citizens abroad, those of Irish heritage and those who feel an affinity with Ireland around the world.
Consultations
The Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon, T.D., launched a public consultation process to inform the new policy. In this article, Minister Cannon explains the importance of ensuring as many voices as possible were heard during this process.
In June, the Consulate hosted three diaspora dialogue events in Atlanta, Nashville and Memphis to gather views on our new diaspora policy. We also consulted with our Irish community in South Florida through Honorary Consul Ian O'Flaherty.
The views expressed by the Global Irish community will now be considered by the Irish Abroad Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and will form the basis of a new diaspora policy to be published in 2020.
Thank you to all those who participated and ensured that the voice of the Irish community in the Southeast USA was heard as part of this process.