THE ROW over Michael Noonan’s remarks about emigration continued yesterday, with Sinn Féin calling on the Minister for Finance to apologise for saying it was a lifestyle choice.
Mr Noonan had said his comments on Thursday were reported out of context and that he had merely said emigration was a lifestyle choice “for some people”. Speaking at the press conference on the troika’s review of the bailout, he pointed out that three of his five children had emigrated by choice.
Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn yesterday brushed aside the Minister’s clarification and said they had caused huge hurt throughout the State.
Describing the remarks as a disgrace, he called on Mr Noonan to issue an immediate apology. “Regardless of whether or not his comments were taken out of context, the Minister must recognise that comments such as these are causing huge hurt throughout the State as thousands of families have lost loved ones to forced emigration.”
However, Minister of State Jan O’Sullivan said there was no need for a retraction. Mr Noonan’s fellow Limerick TD said she knew what he meant by the reference to “lifestyle choices” but said he probably wouldn’t have used the term if he had a second chance.
“I myself have an adult child living abroad who had to go because he didn’t have a job. Indeed, I went abroad myself many years ago to get experience of working in other places. So I do understand what he meant, but I suppose I do also understand the response of people whose children have had to go abroad.”
Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton and Minister of State Brian Hayes also defended Mr Noonan, saying that in no way was he diminishing the problem of emigration.
Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea had demanded an apology from Mr Noonan on Thursday and his party colleague Dara Calleary levelled further criticism against the Minister yesterday, saying his comments showed the Government was “out of touch with the reality of people’s lives”.
Speaking on RTÉ, Mr Calleary likened Mr Noonan’s remarks to comments made by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton last year that for some people going on the dole was a “lifestyle choice”.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said it may be 2016 before the economic conditions are right for emigrants to return home.
In an interview with The Irish Postnewspaper in Britain, Mr Kenny said he "hated" to see emigrants leave Ireland, but he believed that the situation was "fluid" and those that are leaving would come back when the economic conditions were right.
“They will see the opportunities for work at home and ultimately come back. I’d like to think and this is my mantra, that by 2016 Ireland will be in that position.”
He added: “Thousands may well leave but I do not see this as becoming a brain drain for Ireland at all. The emigration is fluid and people are leaving to find work and gain experience.”
Reaction Online
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A knee-jerk reaction to this statement by Noonan would be to criticise it as insensitive, but it is partly true. There are plenty of positive reasons why young Irish people like to go abroad: because they are curious, outgoing and enjoy discovering new cultures, and because they are adventurous. The flip side of this however is that there is nothing similar on offer in Ireland. There are few good opportunities for young people compared to what is available abroad. – Naomi O'Leary, 9.39 am
I think what he means to say is that Ireland is a miserable kip where there are no prospects for highly educated and motivated people. Therefore to fulfil their ambitions and potential they are leaving to find work that motivates, stimulates and rewards them, and to live in a society where they really see the benefits of their hard work as they are not overly taxed, they don't have to put up with disgraceful costs of a mediocre quality of life and there are intelligent government initiatives aimed at improving people's quality of life. – Patrick, 10.51 am
I find Willie O'Dea's comments to be opportunistic to say the least. After all, Mr O'Dea was a prominent member of the Fianna Fáil government that created this problem. Willie O'Dea, like the rest of that Fianna Fáil government are the ones that owe the Irish people an apology. Having said that, Mr Noonan should cop himself on. – Tom, 8:59 am
Most people I know who have gone abroad were not forced, or in anyway upset to be leaving – they would have gone whether there was a recession or not. I myself was away for years – the boom years – and returned just as the recession hit. (bad timing on my behalf!) And I find it frustrating listening to people "blaming" it all on the Government. – Dee, 10.53 am
Why are so many Irish politicians in a permanent state of denial? "Problem? What problem? I see no problem." . . . 30 days on the dole for the lot of them. That might wake them up. They could call it a "choice of lifestyle". – Marc, 10.53 am
This is self-serving nonsense from Noonan, who really should know better . . . If it's any sort of choice, it's Hobson's, rather than a lifestyle choice. – Darren, 12.01 pm