Minister of State for the Diaspora Joe McHugh did some straight talking last weekend by warning that only those emigrants with special skills were likely to find jobs back in Ireland. It represented a significant shift from last year's pre-election hype and "HomeToWork" campaign that suggested the Irish economy offered an open door to employment.
It was important, Mr McHugh said, to be honest with our emigrants; to identify the specific requirements of employers; and to acknowledge the deterrents that existed in terms of costly housing, healthcare and transport.
Most Irish parents dream their children will return home. Many emigrants have the same aspiration. Others, however, choose to make their lives and raise families in more stimulating surroundings. Even before the economic crash, when jobs were plentiful, there was a steady drift of economic emigrants, many of them highly skilled.
The Central Statistic Office has charted that deep-seated wanderlust. In the year to April, 2015, when unemployment stood at 10 per cent, some 81,000 people left the country, of which 35,000 were Irish nationals. More than half had third-level degrees or above.
At the same time, some 69,000 immigrants arrived, to study or look for work, and 12,000 were returning Irish. Unemployment has since fallen to 7.8 per cent and the population outflow has stabilised.
Identifying opportunities in the science and engineering sectors, Mr McHugh said that while Ireland required people with these skills, it would be wrong to suggest there were jobs for all emigrants. That situation may change as the economy recovers and services are developed, but it is likely to be a slow process.
Recent emigrants could be reassured concerning their status and the Government’s concern if they were provided with voting rights in presidential and Seanad elections. Such a limited recognition of citizenship has been talked about for decades. But the Government is not prepared to commit to a referendum on the issue. A case of: out of sight, out of mind?