Despite a decline in numbers, Irish emigrants are sometimes ill-equipped for the challenges facing them, the President, Mrs McAleese, has told the Kerry Emigrant Support Group in Listowel. Mrs McAleese was commending the group yesterday for its work with emigrant Irish in London. "Your group has identified the worrying trend of young Irish people still arriving in cities such as London with little money, no skills and quite unprepared for what faces them." Those emigrating tend to be young and therefore more vulnerable, she said. "The number of people emigrating from Ireland has fallen significantly in the past decade and is now less than 30,000 a year; about 60 per cent of those who still leave are in the 15 to 24 age group."
Advisory and support services for emigrants were always needed, despite Ireland's economic situation. "We are inclined to think in these days of the Celtic Tiger that all our young, talented and well-educated emigrants travel abroad to take up glorious opportunities which previous generations of emigrants could not have imagined. This is often true but not always." Educational qualifications were no guarantee against difficulties arising away from home. "Dislocation from home and family, allied to inexperience and poor preparation, can bring major difficulties. Even the best-educated and best-prepared face loneliness and unfamiliarity with the new environment," said Mrs McAleese.
She stressed the importance of partnership between the voluntary sector and Government in solving the problem.