'We need to do more': Ireland builds ties with UAE expats and pledges to address housing concerns back home

Irish minister Neale Richmond holds talks with growing expat community in the UAE

Neale Richmond, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, in Dublin. Photo: Embassy of Ireland, UAE

An Irish minister on a listening tour of the UAE has pledged support to the country's growing population in the Emirates and said the government was working to address issues back home such as housing.

Neale Richmond, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, acknowledged housing provision was an area of concern for those might wish to return to Ireland but the government was “committed” to building more.

Mr Richmond will hold several consultations with Irish residents during the four-day trip to inform a new government strategy on assisting the Irish abroad.

He will also hold talks with UAE ministers and visit the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Dubai, where Ireland stores aid for conflict zones such as Gaza.

But he was also in the UAE to state the Irish government was listening to Irish residents who have come to the country.

“We do not have enough houses in Ireland,” Mr Richmond told The National on Tuesday. “We do not have enough houses for teachers, for nurses, for businesspeople,” he added, stating it was across the board.

A gala concert with Irish musician Martin Hayes and the band Daithi at Al Wasl Plaza. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Martin Hayes performs at Al Wasl Plaza. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Irish dancers at the Al Wasl Dome gala performance. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Visitors watch the concert. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Children take part in St Patrick's day sport activities at Expo Sports Arena. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Children could try out Gaelic games including hurling. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

The Uileann pipes are explained to the audience at Expo 2020 Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Freil sisters featuring Cathal perform, Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors to the Ireland pavilion celebrate St Patrick's day. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Members of staff enjoy the celebrations. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors to the Ireland pavilion soak up the atmosphere. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Expo 2020 is celebrating all things Irish with a line-up of events marking St Patrick's Day. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The world's fair is highlighting everything from Irish businesses, music and sport with a programme of free-to-attend events taking place throughout the day. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Freil sisters featuring Cathal. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Members of staff at the Ireland pavilion at Expo 2020 celebrate St Patrick's day. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Cultural performers during Ireland's National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. All photos: Expo 2020 Dubai

A musical performer takes centre stage.

A child celebrates Ireland's National Day at the world's fair.

The Irish flag and the UAE flag fly high.

Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Co-operation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, and Darragh O’Brien, left, Ireland's Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, attend Ireland's National Day celebrations at the world's fair.

A visitor takes a picture of the celebrations.

A woman - dressed all in green - attends the celebrations.

A traditional cultural performance wows the crowds.

Mr O’Brien addresses the crowds.

Population surge

It comes when the Irish population in the UAE is now close to 14,000 – the highest it has ever been – and growing about 10 per cent a year driven by many factors such as salaries, job opportunities and lifestyles in the UAE.

But people are also coming to the UAE because of key challenges Ireland faces, chiefly housing, but also cost of living.

Thousands of Irish teachers are also part of the community and, with teacher shortages back in Ireland, Mr Richmond acknowledged one of the biggest issues, not just for educators but across the board, was accommodation.

“If you're teaching in my constituency in a south Dublin primary school and your commute is an hour and a half – you start to question, 'Do I need to spend three hours of my life in a car?' We take that on the chin.”

Building for the future

He said the government was committed to building more houses, building more schools and improving schools. And he said “teachers' pay will go up and we're also making their conditions better”.

“We're never going to compete directly with the salaries that are paid here,” he said. “We want to make sure that those teachers who want to come home have pathways to come home.”

He said the government was also working to see if time spent abroad could be considered when educators move home.

Recent figures published by Ireland’s central statistics office showed that more than 149,000 people entered Ireland, or immigrated, in the 12 months to April last year – a 16-year high. About 30,000 were Irish citizens returning.

But 69,000 people departed Ireland – the highest since 2015 – and including 35,000 Irish citizens.

Ireland has also seen a surge in asylum claims over the past several years.

“I think those who equate immigration as being the sole issue affecting our housing situation are missing the very real point,” said Mr Richmond.

“We're not building enough houses,” he said. “I'm not shying away from it.”

Gaza aid effort

Palestinians collect Emirates Red Crescent food boxes from a distribution centre in Gaza city, northern Gaza. All photos: Bloomberg

Palestinians wait to collect Emirates Red Crescent food boxes. A UN official estimated that about 90,000 people in the enclave are suffering from malnutrition

A pallet of aid from the Emirates Red Crescent. A senior UN World Food Programme official said the situation in Gaza is 'worse than I’ve ever seen it before'

Israeli restrictions of aid reaching Gaza have worsened the plight of Palestinians

Palestinians queue for Emirates Red Crescent aid

Aid has been delivered under the UAE's Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, ordered by President Sheikh Mohamed and conducted in collaboration with Emirates Red Crescent and humanitarian and charitable institutions in the UAE

More than 55,000 tonnes of UAE aid has been delivered on more than 500 flights, six transport ships and 2,500 lorries.

In a separate Birds of Goodness operation, more than 3,700 tonnes of humanitarian aid has been dropped from the air by parachute into areas inaccessible over land

A displaced Palestinian man collects an Emirates Red Crescent food box

Mr Richmond also has responsibility for international development and, on Wednesday will visit the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Dubai on where Ireland stores significant amounts of humanitarian supplies that are dispatched to Gaza but also other places such as Afghanistan and South Sudan. He said Ireland is keen to ramp up Gaza aid efforts with the UAE.

“The UAE has a great ability to get humanitarian aid into Gaza,” said Mr Richmond. “And that's the biggest issue – actually getting that aid in.

“Until recently, we had a number of lorries of Irish humanitarian aid stuck in Jordan for about three months and we want to make sure that we can actually get aid into Gaza,” said Mr Richmond. “And of all the countries that have been able to get humanitarian aid in, the UAE is the best, and we want to make sure that we can work as closely with them.”

Mr Richmond will also meet UAE ministers such as Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, and Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation during the visit and will talk to key members of the Irish business community.

Today, at least 70 Irish businesses are present in the UAE with more than 200 Irish companies exporting to the UAE market.

Another issue for the Irish abroad is securing the ability to vote in presidential elections with an election due next month. Previous governments have announced plans to hold a referendum in Ireland to decide the issue.

“I think it's a good thing,” he said. “But I don't want to run a referendum I'm going to lose. So that hasn't been cracked yet so we're reflecting.”

Mr Richmond said his message to the Irish community here was that Ireland was “proud” of what they have achieved and the embassy was always there to help.

And for those residents who are thinking of returning, Ireland was “making it easier”.

“We know we need to do more,” he said. “But we really are going to do more.”