On Monday 24 February, Crosscare Irish Diaspora Support Project Leader Sarah Owen and Policy & Networks Officer Zeina AlAzzeh attended the Interdepartmental Committee on the Irish Abroad, convened by Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD.
Key Trends and Challenges
Alongside our partners Safe Home Ireland and the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas, we had the opportunity to highlight key trends and challenges faced by Irish citizens returning from abroad.
We began by noting a recent increase in contact from Irish citizens in the USA considering a return to Ireland, including from individuals who have not previously lived in Ireland. We also addressed delays in processing de facto pre-clearance applications for partners of Irish citizens returning to Ireland. Currently these applications take approximately 13 months to process, during which time original documentation are usually held for the duration. This can create considerable challenges for non-Irish de facto partners and, in some cases, prevents Irish citizens from returning home with their loved ones.
Another key issue we raised is the ongoing challenge faced by many returning Irish emigrants presenting to our service in accessing social welfare. Many have been refused assistance due to the Habitual Residence Condition (HRC). With our intervention, many of these refusals are overturned on appeal, highlighting inconsistencies in the application of HRC criteria when it comes to Irish citizen returnees.
Some reflections from our work
During the meeting, we reflected on the coordinated interdepartmental response to the assisted repatriation of Irish citizens from Gaza. This approach facilitated expedited access to essential statutory supports. We outlined that this model could serve as a framework for supporting future crisis returns (particularly as a result of war and active conflict) and facilitating reintegration through practical solutions involving temporary accommodation, social welfare access, primary healthcare, etc.
Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No.2) Bill
During the meeting we raised housing-related challenges for returnees. We referred specifically to the joint submission made with our partners Safe Home Ireland and the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas to the previous Interdepartmental Committee in May 2024, where we highlighted concerns around the proposed inclusion of habitual residency related criteria as part of social housing assessments.
We noted that the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill is now included in the Government’s Spring Legislative Programme as priority legislation, and is expected to introduce amendments to the Housing Acts concerning social housing eligibility and statutory arrangements for residency requirements.
Reiterating our concerns that the proposed amendments may create further barriers to accessing social housing support for those who need it most upon return, we requested:
- Confirmation that safeguards are in place to ensure that individuals and families presenting as homeless are not denied access to emergency accommodation placement
- Allowance of continued use of discretion by Local Authorities, especially for returnees with non-Irish family members, in order to ensure households are not split or excluded from availing of social housing support
- That necessary decision-making and appeals infrastructure is developed prior to adoption of the Bill.
In the upcoming period we will continue to monitor the Bill’s progression and advocate for returning Irish citizens through our policy initiatives.
The Minister’s Commitment
We welcome Minister Richmond’s commitment to supporting returning Irish emigrants as part of his remit under the programme for government, via the interdepartmental committee and through consultation around the development of Ireland’s new diaspora strategy.
Learn more about our policy work for the Irish diaspora and previous outcomes here.
