Back to the Future? The Re-emergence of Emigration from Ireland: New Trends in An Old Story
Ireland‘s long history as a country of emigration seemed to reverse in the 1990s as the country became a booming destination for immigrants drawn by the vitality of the “Celtic Tiger.” Yet as the global financial crisis dealt Ireland a particularly devastating blow, the country reverted to its emigration history, and indeed the emigration rate in 2014-15 exceeded even the highest rates of the 1950s and 1980s.
But as a new report for the Migration Policy Institute’s Transatlantic Council on Migration explores, today’s outflows differ significantly from those of the past. Rather than overwhelming numbers of Irish citizens departing, a significant share of those leaving today are immigrants returning home or migrating elsewhere. And, in another point of contrast, most of the Irish who are emigrating are well educated, with an over-representation of university graduates.
In The Re-emergence of Emigration from Ireland: New Trends in An Old Story, researcher Irial Glynn and his co-authors use data and interviews from the EMIGRE project to disaggregate outflows of Irish nationals from those of immigrants—and to shed light on who is emigrating, where they are going, and what is motivating their departure—something government data do not permit.
Sixty-two percent of recent Irish emigrants ages 25 to 34 held a tertiary qualification of three years or more, compared to 47 percent of the overall Irish public, suggesting fears of “brain drain” are not misplaced. The report also finds that 47 percent of recent emigrants were employed in full-time jobs before departure, contrary to what many might expect. Underemployment was a factor for many of the remaining 53 percent. Irish men also have left in larger numbers than women, the likely result of the collapse of the construction industry.
The authors examine Ireland’s diaspora engagement and return policies, finding that despite notable improvements in government relations with Irish citizens abroad, the lack of voting rights for Irish emigrants stands as a notable exception, with Ireland a rare country in not permitting its overseas citizens the right to vote in national elections.
Today’s report is the third in a series from the Transatlantic Council focused on the scale and implications of the emigration of talented young people and the concrete actions governments and societies can take to mitigate the costs of emigration and capture more of its potential benefits. Earlier reports in the series can be read here.
Today’s report can be read online here.
KJ