US Irish students may get Birthright-style free educational trips to Ireland

RobYourBuilder · 10-02-2015 10:42PM #1

Tens of thousands of young Irish American men and women between 18 and 26 may have the opportunity to spend up to ten free days in Ireland learning about Irish culture and history – if a proposed government initiative gets off the ground.

The Irish Times reports that Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan has outlined proposals for “an orientation course on what it is to be Irish” for young people with a connection to Ireland, “similar to the Israel Taglit-Birthright scheme which has seen more than 400,000 young Jewish people visit Israel over the past 15 years.”

An Irish outreach program would likely involve a similar blend of private philanthropy and government funding and would provide a powerful new linkage between the Irish Diaspora and Ireland at a time when there is much discussion about the future.

IrishCentral spoke with Birthright participants to get a sense of how Ireland could model its initiative on the program and what it could do differently.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/politics/US-Irish-students-may-get-Birthright-style-free-educational-trips-to-Ireland.html

The diaspora strategy review, due to be brought to Cabinet on January 27th, features a series of “action-driven” initiatives devised following consultation with groups working with Irish people abroad, the Minister told the Global Ireland gathering of ambassadors and Irish community representatives.

It will include plans for a “civic forum” of representatives from Irish welfare, business, sport and cultural organisations around the world, which will meet in Dublin in March or April to share knowledge and experience.

It also outlines proposals for “an orientation course on what it is to be Irish” for young people with a connection to Ireland, similar to the Israeli Taglit-Birthright scheme which has seen more than 400,000 young Jewish people visit Israelover the past 15 years.

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/generation-emigration/referendum-on-emigrant-vote-unlikely-this-year-deenihan-1.2066892

This proposal by the Minister could help encourage our diaspora to feel a sense of 'belonging' to their ethnic homeland. Further down the line, this may attract more Irish American students, investment, businesses, and help garner more political support to the country.

On the flipside, it will be a hard sell considering tuition fees are rising again for our own students.

Would you support such an initiative?

Outkast_IRE · 10-02-2015 10:46PM

I would not be supportive of such a scheme if it required taxpayers funds.

Quite simply, the health service needs serious investment, education has been starved of funds this past decade, infrastructure projects need investment, current Gardai numbers are a fraction of what they should be.

Quite simply there are far better uses of Public funds for the forseeable future.

hfallada · 10-02-2015 10:46PM

The Americans will get some shock if they are expecting the Ireland you see on Hands(the tradional Irish craft show, which recorded crafts before they died out. If even talks about how bad life is in Ireland now. 2 mins of watching hands will show you we are all living the dream). Ireland is pretty Globalised and Dublin is like any American city. Ireland doesnt really have an unique culture, that people need any education on.

I spent a Summer in Germany and worked in a multi-national workplace. There was pretty no difference between all Europeans under 30. We were all the same pretty much

My name is URL · 10-02-2015 10:47PM

Except in Israel they're put through a whole load of 'normalisation' seminars while there.. and it's restricted to people of only one belief system.

Comparing this proposal to what Israel does is absurd

This proposal is still fcuking stupid, mind

Wacker The Attacker · 10-02-2015 10:49PM

Sure be jaysus begorrah

TheSheriff · 10-02-2015 10:49PM

Spend more taxpayers money bringing in Americans for ten days and offering no opportunity for Irish students to visit America.

Sounds like a good plan Ted.

RobYourBuilder · 10-02-2015 10:50PM

Ireland doesnt really have an unique culture

That's a load of bollix.

TheBeardedLady · 10-02-2015 10:53PM

Ehhhh....no.

Menas · 10-02-2015 10:54PM

The pubs will love this. More instances of 6 americans with 6 straws sitting around a pint of guinness for 2 hours.

Boring username · 10-02-2015 10:55PM

I don't see this as a problem, there are plenty of Irish diaspora I have met abroad that would bite your hand off to avail of a chance like this. Not everyone managed to make their millions in a heart-warming rags to riches story in the States.

The Backwards Man · 10-02-2015 10:58PM

Trigger Happy wrote: »

The pubs will love this. More instances of 6 americans with 6 straws sitting around a pint of guinness for 2 hours.

It's a bit of a false stereotype that in fairness, I've found Yanks can drink plenty, spend plenty and behave themselves plenty when they are abroad.

Menas · 10-02-2015 10:59PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's a bit of a false stereotype that in fairness, I've found Yanks can drink plenty, spend plenty and behave themselves plenty when they are abroad.

We cant allow the truth to get in the way of an established stereotype.

RobYourBuilder · 10-02-2015 11:01PM

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I would not be supportive of such a scheme if it required taxpayers funds.

Quite simply, the health service needs serious investment, education has been starved of funds this past decade, infrastructure projects need investment, current Gardai numbers are a fraction of what they should be.

Quite simply there are far better uses of Public funds for the forseeable future.

Initially, it will need some government funding to get off the ground. Of course. But if it's successful, private companies and organisations would definitely get on board and offset the need for taxpayer funding.

Ireland severly under utilises our diaspora. If done correctly, this could be a huge asset for the country.

Fr_Dougal · 10-02-2015 11:04PM

Great idea. These students are possibly the future CEO's of US multinationals that will employ tens of thousands of Irish employees over here.

suicide_circus · 10-02-2015 11:05PM

It might kill our tourist numbers from the US in years to come.

Irish Americans seem to come here with their family for a big long vacation once in their lifetime to see the old country before they die. If they got to go free once in their youth (and discovered it's really not that magical!) they may not fork out the thousands of dollars to do it again.

Plus the Irish tax payer is currently in no position to pay for this.

Collie D · 10-02-2015 11:08PM

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Great idea. These students are possibly the future CEO's of US multinationals that will employ tens of thousands of Irish employees over here.

Because in twenty or thirty years they'll remember the free week holiday they got once? Our corporate tax is what brings foreign investment. Leave it at that.

RobYourBuilder · 10-02-2015 11:09PM

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

Ehhhh....no.

Why not? The US is the largest economy in the world. 38 million US citizens claim to be of Irish descent. Creating closer ties with our diaspora there can only be a good thing. Apart from the original set up costs, I fail to see why people would be against the proposal.

Smiles35 · 10-02-2015 11:10PM

This all coincides with cheap transatlantic routes being opened by Ryanair. The luck!

The Backwards Man · 10-02-2015 11:10PM

So, who decides if you are Irish enough to avail of this? And what are the criteria? Can my mate Marmaduke Wilson from the Appalachians come? His great great great great grandaddy sat in the next pew to Davy Crockett when he was a wain

TheBeardedLady · 10-02-2015 11:22PM

RobYourBuilder wrote: »

Why not? The US is the largest economy in the world. 38 million US citizens claim to be of Irish descent. Creating closer ties with our diaspora there can only be a good thing. Apart from the original set up costs, I fail to see why people would be against the proposal.

I'm not sold on the idea, that's why. Nothing you've said there has convinced me otherwise.

Ignoring the money needed to set it up is ridiculous. Not to get emotive here but my stepmother is having tests done on a tumour the last two months and because of staff shortages and waiting lists, she still hasn't had a diagnosis.

Money is better spent elsewhere in Ireland right now. And I'm simply not sold on the idea. Surely if you're going to invest in something like this, you need to do your groundwork first. Are we simply hoping one of these young people will become a millionaire and want to invest in Ireland in the future? Is that the idea? Sounds a bit wishy washy to me.

Edit: You already mentioned the rise in tuition fees yourself there. It simply wouldn't be fair on Irish born people to invest in something like this right now with no guarantee of any return.

TheBeardedLady · 10-02-2015 11:23PM

RobYourBuilder wrote: »

Initially, it will need some government funding to get off the ground. Of course. But if it's successful, private companies and organisations would definitely get on board and offset the need for taxpayer funding.

Ireland severly under utilises our diaspora. If done correctly, this could be a huge asset for the country.

Again, what you've written above sounds very wishy washy based on no research whatsoever. Why not try and find ways to get successful Irish born emigrants back to the country instead instead?

RobYourBuilder · 10-02-2015 11:30PM

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

Again, what you've written above sounds very wishy washy based on no research whatsoever.

Read some of McWilliams writings on why we should foster more links with our diaspora.

Here's a good snippet to get the ball rolling;

In fact in 2007 -- not that long ago -- I suggested in 'The Generation Game' that, if played properly, there was a transformative potential in the Irish tribe and that the echo of past generations could help reinvent Ireland for future generations, thus the title. One reviewer described this idea as "risible". Do such cynics think that now?

The economic power of the tribe is not a panacea, but it is a huge help and the presence of Irish-Americans at the top of many multinationals is significant. Years ago, I worked for Jack Welch, the legendary CEO of GE whose grandparents were from Cork. When I asked him did it matter to him that he was Irish when he decided to invest in Ireland, he snapped, "Of course it bloody did, once you guys got your act together, I was always going to favour Ireland."

Just to put the US connection in context and understand how important it is to have their president claiming to be one of us, consider this: US firms employ approximately 100,000 people directly in Ireland and Irish firms employ more than 80,000 people in the US. American companies spend €15bn annually on payroll and service. US companies account for €90bn of exports. US firms account for over 70pc of IDA- supported employment. US firms have invested $165bn (€117bn) in Ireland -- 4.6pc of total global investment by US firms, and more than they have invested in Brazil, Russia, India and China combined.

Tellingly, according to the IDA's 2010 annual report, the US accounted for 74pc of Ireland's inward investment in 2010.

This deep economic link is made more, not less, vibrant by having the human bonds of family and heritage reinforced officially. This was the broad idea behind the Farmleigh Global Irish Economic Forum in 2010. Hopefully we can build on it this year again.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/david-mcwilliams/david-mcwilliams-diasporas-soft-power-will-help-fuel-our-future-26736069.html

If you're interested, here's The Generation Game;

Richard Hillman · 10-02-2015 11:30PM

Loads of wealthy American students coming to Ireland. As they would say in their wild west, "Yeeeeehaaah!"

TheBeardedLady · 10-02-2015 11:33PM

I'm not against the idea of fostering relationships with the Irish diaspora (as I mentioned) but again, this idea sounds stupid to me, to be frank.

Precious flower · 10-02-2015 11:45PM

Irish tourism ideas always give off a needy, desperate vibe. I think it's a bad idea. We have better things to be concerning us right now. And also, when did we get a minister for the diaspora and why in hell do we need one. Do we not have a minister for tourism already. If these are the most productive ideas he can spawn then that position needs to be scrapped.

RobYourBuilder · 10-02-2015 11:47PM

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

I'm not against the idea of fostering relationships with the Irish diaspora (as I mentioned) but again, this idea sounds stupid to me, to be frank.

Ireland accounts for circa 4.5% of all global investments by US firms. A staggering figure, considering our size. A lot of that is down to our corpo rate, there is no denying that. But our diaspora also play a huge part. For this to continue to the next generation of Irish Americans and to the next, we will have to invest a few bob.

Once we get the ball rolling, we can get tourist, sporting and cultural organisations on board too. Along with private businesses. It will need initial investment from the government to get off the ground, but it wouldn't be long paying for itself.

RobYourBuilder · 11-02-2015 12:58AM

Precious flower wrote: »

Irish tourism ideas always give off a needy, desperate vibe.

American tourists spent over €1 billion euro last year. It's a huge revenue stream for the state.

I think it's a bad idea. We have better things to be concerning us right now. And also, when did we get a minister for the diaspora and why in hell do we need one.

Last summer. A lot of emigrants will return so it is important that they have a voice. Whilst the portfolio is linked with tourism somewhat, there is a lot more to it than that. For example, unlikely this year, but by the end of the next year we will have a referendum on voting rights for Irish emigrants.

Wompa1 · 11-02-2015 05:17AM

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

education has been starved of funds this past decade

It has??

Wompa1 · 11-02-2015 05:19AM

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

Again, what you've written above sounds very wishy washy based on no research whatsoever. Why not try and find ways to get successful Irish born emigrants back to the country instead instead?

like who? What's your definition of a successful Irish born emigrant? What kind of position do they hold? How much do they make? Also, what's the incentive for them to come back or even for us to get them back?

Wompa1 · 11-02-2015 05:22AM

If they do up the numbers and the benefit outweighs the costs. I'd be in favor of it. There's a lot of Americans who have a surface level knowledge of Ireland and their Irish heritage. They invest a lot of time, money and passion into their American patriotism. If they invest even a little in the Irish side after coming over and identifying themselves further than just on a surface level. $$$$$$$$

Wompa1 · 11-02-2015 05:23AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

So, who decides if you are Irish enough to avail of this? And what are the criteria? Can my mate Marmaduke Wilson from the Appalachians come? His great great great great grandaddy sat in the next pew to Davy Crockett when he was a wain

Does he currently hold a signed certificate of Irish heritage!?

US Irish students may get Birthright-style free educational trips to Ireland

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