I am proud of what the Minister and the Government is doing in continuing the work in the past of engaging with the diaspora. When we have thought in the past about the diaspora, we have tended to talk about the kings of industry around the world and then the disadvantaged and how we might support them but in recent times, we have large concentrations of highly skilled young people who have emigrated and concentrated in places like Australia and Canada. As part of any diaspora policy, does the Minister of State envisage some systems being put in place or some strategies being adopted whereby we can actively engage with those young people and encourage them to consider a return home where they are badly needed to fill many of the vacant positions that exist?

Sentiment score: 0.59

I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, on having been the person dispatched by the Government for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Poland. I wish to ask him if while there his meeting with Secretary of State, Mr. Niemczycki, was successful and enabled him to build on the wonderful person-to-person relationships that exist now, and existed for many years, between Ireland and Poland?

Sentiment score: 0.69

It is quite extraordinary the manner in which the relationships have developed between Irish people and Polish people. Polish people were among the first major wave of immigrants that came to work in this country during the Celtic tiger. They demonstrated a fantastic work ethic and they built a relationship with Irish people. There has been a lot of intermarriage. I think Polish is now the third most frequently spoken language in this State. I heard only yesterday from the Minister of State that the Poles are the second highest consumers of Irish whiskey after the Americans, so that is all very good in terms of what we may do as far as trade is concerned. We share this passion for supporting Ukraine. Was it the Minister of State's experience that the Poles are equally enthusiastic about supporting the early advancement of Ukraine's application for EU membership?

Sentiment score: 0.32

Could I take it that the Minister of State is very satisfied that Donald Tusk is someone who will be able to ensure Poland remains very much at the centre and at the heart of the European movement? I wish to ask also about their other neighbours. How do Polish people feel about, and are they supportive of, Moldova joining the EU? What, if anything, was said to the Minister of State about the situation in Belarus where the Lukashenko regime continues to harangue its own people, continues to support Putin, and continues to imprison over 1,000 political activists in a shameful disregard for democracy? Was there an opportunity to discuss that particular matter?

Sentiment score: 0.29