The Finance Minister has come under fire this morning for comments he made about emigration in the Dáil yesterday.
Michael Noonan said that for the most part emigration in Ireland is being taken as an opportunity to travel, rather than as an economic necessity.
However those who deal with people who are emigrating on a daily basis say that the profile has changed, with increasing numbers leaving Ireland out of desperation.
Here’s what we heard on Newstalk so far today….
8.05am Liz O’Hagan (Director of Australian Visa Specialists) and Niamh Hourigan (Sociologist in UCC) on Newstalk Breakfast
10.05am A listener and small company owner called Barry in Cork talked to Tom Dunne about emigration
10.35am Anne and Siobhan phone Tom Dunne to share their stories about emigration in their lives
12.05pm James Wickham (Director of Employment Research Centre) and Edwina Shanahan (Marketing Manager with VisaFirst.ie) chat with Jonathan Healy on Lunchtime
1.05pm TD Pat Rabbitte talks to Jonathan Healy about Michael Noonan’s comments
1.45pm Former Ireland rugby player Shane Byrne shares his thoughts on Michael Noonan’s comments with Sean Moncrieff
