A chairde,
I am delighted to be here today in the National Library to launch the Ireland Reaching Out initiative.
I am delighted for I believe the potential of our Diaspora and its role in our future to be truly immense.
Furthermore, I believe that the scale of this potential has yet to be fully realised.
But I believe that this initiative will help to change that.
Because the fact is that Ireland’s Diaspora now exceeds 70 million and over one million people who were born on this island now live abroad.
So the scale of this opportunity here is clear.
There are few human instincts stronger than the need to belong and it is not surprising that for many people, tracing their genealogy becomes a personal and emotional journey.
And the Ireland Reaching Out initiative is all about enabling and helping people to make that journey if they wish.
By engaging with and facilitating the members of our Diaspora in the tracing if their roots, allowing them the opportunity to reconnect with Ireland and, ultimately, bringing many of them back home.
But it is moreover about us being proactive….by employing the notion of ‘reverse genealogy’ and instead of waiting on an expression of interest from an individual, taking control, by approaching individuals to remind and inform them of their roots which they are then free to explore as they wish.
And this can, of course, be a mutually beneficial exercise, fulfilling as it does our Diaspora’s desire to learn about and connect with ‘home’ as well as having the potential to bring real social and economic benefits - right back to parish level.
And Mike Feerick is the man that we have to thank for having the vision and the tenacity to bring this project to fruition. I know that Mike has had the benefit and support of a hugely committed team and a great number of volunteers throughout the 200 participating parishes.
The success of last June’s Week of Welcomes really cemented the potential of this initiative. This saw numerous people from across the US, Australia and New Zealand being invited back to South-East Galway.
And, as I said, this Government needs no convincing when it comes to the value and potential of the Irish Diaspora to all of us at home and abroad.
Since we came into office just over one year ago, we have been working tirelessly to re-build Ireland’s international reputation and I am confident that this work has begun to have a real impact.
Central to all of this is the work that we have been doing to identify ways in which the Irish Diaspora can contribute to Ireland’s economic recovery and the Global Irish Economic Forum, which took place last October, proved to be a really fertile ground for ideas to aid this recovery.
Following on from the Forum, I, together with the Tánaiste and Minister Bruton, travelled to New York last month on the invitation of President Clinton where we participated in an Invest in Ireland Roundtable Conference. This allowed us a valuable opportunity to make the case for investing in Ireland to US Corporations not currently based here.
At the Roundtable President Clinton told investors they'd be "nuts not to invest in Ireland". We agree!
Other initiatives arising from the Forum include amendments to our visa arrangements to improve access to Ireland for those seeking to study and invest here as well as a new scheme to provide placements for Irish graduates in firms linked to Global Irish Network members.
And last week, I launched the Succeed-in-Ireland scheme which will utilise one of our very significant resources, our Diaspora, who will be eyes and ears for us and tell us about companies who are expanding internationally.
The Global Irish Network now comprises some 350 highly influential individuals from almost 40 countries and the work they continue to do should not be underestimated. The Forum involves an invaluable stock of Irish talent and expertise around the world working solidly and quietly in an attempt to help guide our country back on the road to recovery. Their energy and commitment to Ireland is obvious and is, of course, something that we value greatly.
It is particularly timely that we are launching the Ireland Reaching Out initiative in the run-up to the traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
For this is a time when we, as a country, are never more mindful of our global family.
And this year our message to the world will be clear - ‘Now is the time to invest in Ireland’s recovery’.
St. Patrick’s Day is a wonderfully unique opportunity to showcase our country and all it has to offer and, I, together with my colleagues in Government, will be bringing our message to fifteen of our key trading partners including seven locations across the US.
I will attend the traditional celebrations in the White House during a trip which will also take in Chicago, Indiana and New York.
President Obama himself, of course, being one of the more high profile members of our Diaspora to make the trip back home last year.
This St. Patrick’s Day festival will also see the international launch of The Gathering - a year-long programme of tourism events in 2013 which will aim to attract 325,000 visitors to Ireland.
And encouraging people to come here to trace their family tree will form part of this initiative – something that is of particular relevance in the context of today’s launch.
While information and communications technology has been a key enabler in bringing the Ireland Reaching Out project to fruition, the real secret of its success has been the dedication and the warmth of the people who have worked so hard to bring this about.
Because time and again it has been proven that this country’s biggest asset is, and always will be, its people.
I would now like to call on every parish in the country to get involved in this worthwhile initiative by uploading their parish profile on the www.irelandxo.com website, working towards the organisation of a Welcome Team - to meet & greet visitors to the parish and beginning to build a profile of their specific parish Diaspora.
Mike, I pay tribute to you and to all who have worked with you to make this project a success.
I want to reassure you now that you have the full support of the Government as Ireland begins to reconnect once again with its global family.
Thank you.