Have your say on this survey and the articles within it on irishtimes.com and on The Irish Times emigration blog, irishtimes.com/generationemigration
‘I must confess to being a little dubious about the sampling’
The results of the telephone poll are interesting, and any empirical data about the experience of the Irish abroad is welcome. However, I must confess to being a little dubious about the sampling procedure.
The results would have been a bit more convincing if the demographic profile of those interviewed had been matched against the known emigration statistics, in terms of gender, age, socio-economic class, region and so on.
This would have reduced suspicions of distortion in the sampling procedure, which is important, since Irish Government policy regarding the global diaspora should take account of such findings.
There are also procedures to obtain a larger (and more diverse sample), though some of these are labour intensive and perhaps more suited to a wider project. Lee Komito
‘They integrate well, are not interested in an ‘Irish’ ghetto’
The new Irish immigrants I meet here in Montreal are here by choice, as am I. They integrate well, are not interested in an “Irish” ghetto mentality, much to the puzzlement of the “Irish”, many of whom make the point that their families came before the Famine (Famine Irish were considered to be of a lower class).
Montreal is a great city, speaking a bit of French goes a long way towards integration. The winter can be challenging, but the fantastic summer more than compensates. Bonne fete St Patrice! Manus Bradley
‘Young people will eventually settle in their new homes’
I think it was a bit of shock for many Irish people including myself taking a massive pay cut in the UK.
It's great to have the NHS and with our poorly paid jobs we can just about pay our bills and not have to live with our parents. A number of people say they plan to return but many of these young people will eventually settle in their new homes and meet non-Irish partners. Anne Doyle
‘This is the new property supplement’
This is beyond a mere advertisement. This is the new property supplement - get ahead in life, get ahead of the Joneses, by emigrating.
Want to succeed? Emigrate, rely on other countries to provide you with ready-made opportunities, get a sun tan and be admired by your peers.
Dream of Australia when you're in Ireland. Dream of Ireland when you're in Australia. Robert Dowling
‘Migration and diaspora policy is difficult to foster’
One of the most difficult things in migrant policy or care is the establishment of or linking into established networks.
This is outlined in the findings of the Migration Policy Institute, a migration think tank based in Washington.
With the best will in the world, networks will not be as representative as a survey group in a geographical area.
It is one of the reasons why migration and diaspora policy is difficult to foster. Alan Hilliard
‘Not sure that gets Mr Noonan off the hook’
One thing jumps out: percentage of Irish people with some third-level qualification in 2006 was 26 per cent according to CSO. Percentage among respondents in this poll is 75 per cent.
Possibly due to entry qualifications for Australia, Canada etc but it seems to me that the valid conclusion should be that the majority of highly employable people who chose to emigrate despite still having jobs did it through choice, not necessity.
Not sure that gets Mr Noonan off the hook. Id imagine he experiences the same sampling problems. Blaamain
‘Remainder drink themselves into oblivion as was always the case’
Sure tis all grand, those who can, escape and are grateful, the remainder drink themselves into oblivion as was always the case.
Where would be without responsible Irish journalists to outline acceptable interpretations of current events to the bewildered herd? In the meantime lets keep paying our way in the expectation Noonans Celtic rocket will take off any day now. Elpenor Dignam
‘This endless complaining has to stop, it’s insufferable’
The simple fact of the matter is that most emigration abroad, outside of the construction industry, is by choice.
There are jobs in Ireland, especially for those with university degrees, many, however, prefer to go discover the world, get some experience etc.
This endless complaining has to stop, its insufferable. Canada struggled to allocate all 5,000 working holiday visas it allotted to Irish young people last year, and has only just over 1,000 so far filled this year.
Im living in Quebec and see virtually zero young Irish immigration here, most go to Toronto and a large proportion of them are out-of-work construction guys who’d go back home in an instant if they could.
I certainly will be going back home soon as Ireland, whatever its issues, is a wonderful place to live, with a better standard of living than in most of Canada. montrealphilo
‘The loss of an entire generation is not okay’
What does choice mean, really?
Choosing to emigrate rather than stick around in a country that appears to be on the road to nowhere?
While Im glad that our emigrants are happy . . . outside Ireland, I wonder if they could have helped make Ireland into a better place . . . The loss of an entire generation is not okay. Colm