‘Global Irish’ forum hit by a crisis of identity

Though possibly churlish, a point was reached yesterday at the gathering of the business diaspora known as the ‘Global Irish Economic Forum’ that you wished for an appearance of fractious Paddy Cosgrave — the man who is taking his Web Summit out of Ireland and on to Portugal.

The ‘Global Irish’ was the brainchild of economist David McWilliams, developed out of the cauldron of the financial crisis, as the country hurtled towards financial crisis in 2009.

The country reached out at its time of need to influential Irish business leaders living overseas and who had long felt unloved and estranged from meaningful participation here.

At the time of the Good Friday Agreement, Irish business leaders used their substantial ‘soft power’ to help cement peace in the North only to be largely ignored again.

The inaugural forum didn’t got off to a good start at remote Farmleigh, leaving the impression of cloistered ministers of the previous administration meeting with unknown business figures as the economic crisis gathered outside the shut gates.

The Irish business leaders are no longer ignored. Yesterday, meeting at Dublin Castle for the first time since 2013, the invited guests contributed views from the floor.

Over the years, the forum nurtured some good ideas, including ‘The Gathering’ in 2013. But there were also some rather less successful brainwaves, including the now defunct issue of certificates attesting to the diaspora’s Irish roots.

It appeared half the Cabinet was lined up yesterday delivering speeches, but saying much the same thing as they say every day, with the election looming.

Yesterday, there seemed some confusion over who exactly the Government was addressing — was it a global diaspora or the Irish voter at home?