‘Returning migrants badly treated’

Discrimination is a significant challenge that vulnerable Irish emigrants often experience when they return to Ireland, it has emerged. Some who returned in crisis found they were rudely or unfairly treated when trying to access the services they need, according to a new report from Crosscare Migrant Project called Coming Home in Crisis.

While support for returning emigrants has increased since the introduction of Ireland’s Diaspora Policy in 2016 “closer attention” must be paid to protecting returning vulnerable emigrants coming home, the report recommends

More than 2,300 Irish citizens received help from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade last year, including support in relation to arrest (371), welfare (217), mental health (77), deportation (77), and imprisonment (50).

The report was based on interviews with 10 returned emigrants conducted over the summer — six were single and four had partners. Five had returned with children and four were aged between 61 and 70. They had returned from Canada, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Britain, and the US. Three had spent more than 20 years abroad.

Danielle McLaughlin, policy officer with Crosscare Migrant Project, said emigrants returning to Ireland in unplanned and crisis situations had experienced issues such as job loss, homelessness, serious health needs, and addiction. Some had been deported or released from detention and others were fleeing conflict zones or domestic violence.

“On return, they are facing obstacles to accessing the supports they need,” said Ms McLaughlin.

These obstacles range from administrative challenges and emergency accommodation shortages to delays in access to urgent social welfare payments and healthcare.

“People feel they have been dismissed or they have been made to feel intimidated. Some spoke feeling very vulnerable at the time. Some felt very nervous about approaching a service again. So they come to us looking for support because they feel they need that extra hand and they don’t have any other supports in the country.”

Two key policy recommendations made in the report are immediate access to homeless accommodation and emergency social welfare assistance for returnees.

The report also calls for free medical care for those in urgent need of medical attention while their medical applications are being processed and accelerated immigration permissions for non-European Economic Area family members.

Ms McLaughlin said a particular issue for returning emigrants is accessing documents required by local authorities as proof of their connection to an area.

Crosscare Migrant Project is also calling for more training across the relevant statutory services on the rights and entitlement of returned emigrants and for the Central Statistics Office to capture more information on return migration of Irish citizens to Ireland.