Sponsored holidays on the cards for diaspora members

Sponsored holidays for young third-generation Irish adults abroad will begin this year, in a bid to encourage members of the disaspora to settle here with their families.

The scheme comes as the Government also considers special tax cuts to encourage large numbers of working, Irish-born, emigrants to return home.

The Coalition announced measures for the diaspora yesterday ahead of the St Patrick’s Day ministerial exodus next week.

Diaspora Minister Jimmy Deenihan told the Irish Examiner that new 12-day culture trips for young adults of Irish descent would eventually see several hun-dred travel here when a pilot project is completed this coming autumn.

Aer Lingus is examining discounted flights for the groups being encouraged to travel, from as far afield as Canada, the United States and Australia, he said.

“They’ll be immersed in history, culture and heritage.

“We’re bringing the third generation to keep their connections to Ireland. Hopefully they’ll return to holiday, for college or with their families.

The scheme will be called Fréamhacha or “Roots” and begin with a pilot project involving 25 young adults travelling here this autumn.

Mr Deenihan added: “We’re speaking to Aer Lingus about special rates to keep travel budgets at acceptable levels.

“In the first year we hope to get 100 participants, but multiples of this afterwards.”

The Irish diaspora worldwide is estimated to be around 70m people, tens of millions of whom are thought to be third generation.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan confirmed the Government is considering introducing special tax incentives to encourage emigrants to return home.

It is understood the measures could be announced as early as next month, when the Government unveils its spring economic statement.

Mr Flanagan added: “There will be a lot for them to come home to, with full employment by 2018.”