Leave the country, you’ll be fine

ALL this “seven-out-of-10 may have to emigrate” stuff is, frankly, pathetic.

Go and spend some time in Iceland, or New Zealand. Nearly all their young people worth their salt head overseas for a couple of years, spread their wings, get out there, work and see a bit.

At any given time, 10% of the New Zealand population is in London.

It’s certainly to be welcomed that some imaginative people have come to recognise that there is a state of being Irish and living elsewhere, with a centre of gravity that is not necessarily on Irish turf. And, you know, when the powers-that-be get together in Farmleigh to discuss the diaspora, all the usual stage Irishmen and high-profile Irish-American CEOs get invited to weigh in with their pompous nonsense about turning Ireland into a ‘smart economy’ or tapping into the network to benefit the homeland.

I live in Germany, which for Irish people is a sophisticated, modern, but difficult European country to come to grips with. It takes great effort, time, dedication and learning in order to be a competent, integrated, and non-ghettoised contributor to both this country and my country of birth. Do you think any of the Farmleigh crowd have ever asked me for my views, my input, my ideas as to what it really means to be one of those Irishmen who can function without having to wrap themselves in the Irish flag every time they achieve something modest? Let’s detraumatise this notion of “emigration” as the definition of evil and failure. If Ireland wants to keep all its people at home, it’s very simple. We should hire 12 top-notch Swiss managers to run our government for the next 20 years. Let them take the decisions that will make Ireland a lean, mean, “smart-economy” machine, at whatever wage level will effectively ensure full employment.

Remember — despite all we’ve experienced over the past two years, the next Taoiseach will still get to be the fourth — or fifth — highest paid head of state in the world. If ever there was a chance to change all that, it’s now. We could decide that all new TDs standing in the election should know that the new salary is €50,000. Salary for the prime minister of a small bankrupt country of four million people — maybe €80k.

Young (and youngish) people of Ireland, here’s what I recommend — run. You’ll be fine, don’t worry. See you on Skype.

Charles Kingston

Frankfurt

Germany