Theme 2: Awareness and Understanding of Concepts

Engaging the Diaspora

	Global Ireland Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2020–2025 xxx xxx 20xx

Today, the Irish diaspora is a diverse and dynamic global community connected to Ireland through ties of citizenship, heritage and affinity, retaining a strong sense of Irish identity that has remained vibrant over the ages. Global Ireland commits the Department of Foreign Affairs to developing a new policy and strategic approach to supporting our citizens overseas and diaspora networks internationally. A consultation process on the new Diaspora policy was conducted in 2019, involving stakeholder engagement and public consultations in Ireland and abroad hosted by the Tánaiste and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development.

The Taoiseach launched the new Global Ireland Diaspora Strategy for the period 2020-2025 in November 2020. The Strategy sets out what the Government will do to support and engage with our diaspora communities around the world. It takes a broad and inclusive definition of the diaspora, reflecting the diversity of the global Irish community today. The Strategy also reflects the priorities in the Programme for Government, including a commitment to seek better outcomes for the undocumented Irish abroad. This strategy has been shaped by contributions from hundreds of individuals and organisations both in Ireland and in Irish communities around the world.

Supporting the Irish Abroad during the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for our citizens overseas and throughout the course of 2020, we expanded our consular operations, increased resources and set up dedicated helplines to respond to the needs of our citizens. In 2020 alone, the Government’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Centre for citizens abroad responded to over 24,000 calls for assistance and advice. In the most significant repatriation operations in the history of the State, well over 8,000 citizens were assisted in returning to Ireland from 129 countries around the world. The Department of Foreign Affairs, Irish Embassies and Consulates, are working with partner organisations and likeminded countries to monitor the wellbeing and safety of our citizens who remain overseas, and to provide advice and assistance. Drawing on experiences early in the pandemic, an Emergency Travel Helpline was re-established in December 2020 and continues to operate.

As the scale of the impact of the pandemic on our Diaspora communities became clear, the Government also established a dedicated Covid-19 Response Fund for Irish Communities Abroad in 2020. The four main priorities of the Fund are to support projects that:

• protect our elderly and mitigate the impact of social isolation; • meet the needs of those made vulnerable by the crisis and respond quickly and effectively to cases of particular hardship; • provide mental health supports and bereavement counselling; • support innovative ways to provide services online.

Projects were managed by our mission network and are delivered through existing community welfare organisations and charities. Over €1.3 million has been disbursed to organisations to fund just under 100 projects to deal with the immediate needs of the Irish community abroad including: €654,000 in Britain, €394,485 in United States, €116,000 in Australia, €107,000 in Canada, €39,000 in New Zealand and €30,900 in Rest of the World. The ability of Irish community organisations to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19 in assisting their clients and finding new ways of delivering their services has been truly exceptional. Many of our organisations have come together on a regional basis and have been assisted by volunteers from the broader Irish community to deliver this vital support.

A targeted communications strategy has been developed to provide support, reassurance and connectedness to our people abroad at this difficult time.