Today the world is more globalised, interconnected and interdependent than ever before. The recent global economic crisis shows us that it is no longer possible for any nation state to consider itself an ‘island’, nor is it possible to be immune from the ebbs and flows of global economics. In order to be in a position to fully leverage the advantages of interdependence, companies and countries are looking at creating, developing and engaging complex networks of people to generate social, cultural and economic benefits. In Ireland’s case the global diaspora constitutes an obvious collective of people through which networks can be created and individuals mobilised for mutual benefit.

Continual increases in the mobility of people, assisted by ever improving transportation and telecommunications, has intensified the international interest in diaspora studies. Indeed the growing body of academic research and policy formulation in this area is but a small indication of the scale of the potential economic opportunity that the diaspora presents.

International organisations such as the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations have started to pay closer attention to the value of the diaspora in economic development and more generally in international relations. The diaspora serves as an important conduit, facilitating the two-way flow of capital. That capital presents itself in every form – human, social, intellectual, political, cultural and financial. Looking at capital financial flows alone, the transfer of funds in the form of remittances, bonds, philanthropy or business investment is massive by any scale, and continues to grow.

Considering the diaspora as a national asset is certainly not a new phenomenon, nor is it unique to Ireland. Governments around the world are beginning to think about engaging their overseas populations in innovative ways. Rather than viewing expatriate business, cultural, scientific and policy actors as ‘lost’ to their countries of origin, active efforts are now being made to identify and link highly skilled offshore citizens to national economic development projects through initiatives such as formal mentoring programmes, international advisory boards, and investment programmes, with the support of home institutions.

Diaspora strategies that extend across a range of social, cultural, political, educational and financial dimensions are now being implemented by both developing countries and developed countries including New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Israel and India, to name but a few.

In the UK, the Institute for Public Policy Research recently published a paper which examines the increasing trend of immigrants subsequently ‘re-migrating’ to another country and proposes that governments may want to find ways of encouraging these migrants to return some time in the future or maintain contact with them in their countries of onward or return migration.1 It is important to note that the retention of highly skilled migrants is as significant as attracting them in the first place. While such immigrants may not formally be a part of the diaspora, they will hold an affinity to the country and could be engaged in diaspora strategies.2

The Irish diaspora is quite staggering in size and depth. In addition to over 34 million Irish Americans registered in the 2000 census, not including 5 million who claimed to be Scots Irish, there are also 3.8 million Irish Canadians, 1.9 million Irish Australians and 500,000 Argentineans of Irish heritage.3 Add to that 800,000 Irish-born people living overseas and an estimated 6 million people in Britain having a close Irish relative and the sheer scale of this diaspora becomes both impressive and daunting. There are now 3.1 million Irish citizens living outside the country and this number is increasing, with 72,000 passports issued in 2007 alone.4 There is also a growing next generation, with more than 10 million Irish Americans under the age of 18.5 Although Ireland itself has only a population of approximately 4.4 million and constitutes just 1 per cent of the total population of the EU, when looking through the lens of the diaspora, we are in fact a highly globalised country with over 70 million members in our transnational community.

These Irish can be seen as a global tribe united by history, culture and shared experiences and networked through technology. In a highly competitive world this potential network offers many advantages for Ireland of which we have yet to take full advantage. Other countries see the opportunities and are actively putting in place extensive programmes of engagement. In examining the initiatives pursued by others, there is much left for Ireland to consider and certainly a lot to be learned from their experiences.

As a global leader in the area of diaspora philanthropy, The Ireland Funds since 1976 has raised over $300 million ($210 million in the past 15 years) and funded over 1,200 organisations in Ireland and beyond. Its networks among the global Irish are now active in 12 countries and 39 cities around the world. It organises over 100 events annually, attended by 40,000 people, and has built a database of over 100,000 names. With such a track record, The Ireland Funds is now looked upon as a thought leader in the area of diaspora engagement and through a range of research, conferences, seminars and presentations is actively contributing to the body of knowledge in the field of diaspora studies, bringing a vital practitioner perspective.

the global Irish making a difference together