Fine Gael has questioned a key recommendation of a Government-appointed taskforce on emigration, which suggested that the Department for Foreign Affairs should be given total responsibility for the issue.
The Taskforce on Emigration is due to report to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen shortly, though a late draft of their work recommends that emigrant welfare groups should be given substantially increased backing.
However, Fine Gael Louth TD, Mr Fergus O'Dowd expressed doubt about whether Foreign Affairs should have complete control over a proposed body, called the Agency for the Irish Abroad.
"Clearly, it should have a very important role because they have a presence in countries where emigrants live, but they don't, for instance, employ social workers. This agency will need an awful lot of professional help," he said.
But he gave a warm welcome to the majority of the recommendations contained in the draft, particularly one calling for more help for those who emigrated in the 1950s.
"The reality is that a lot of single people, in particular, are now very isolated in their adopted countries. They are very much at risk from mental illness," said the Louth TD.
Mr O'Dowd's brother, Niall, the editor of The Irish Voice newspaper in New York has pressured successive US administrations over the last decade to improve the lot of Irish emigrants, particularly those living there illegally.
