INCREASE IN EMIGRANTS SEEKING TO COME HOME
MORE Irish emigrants are returning home for good because of the pandemic as they look to be closer to family and loved ones, according to new figures from a charity helping to repatriate people.
Figures released by Safe Home Ireland show the number of people who made inquiries last month was up 60pc on June last year. Inquiries between April and June, when the virus raged internationally, were up by almost a quarter (24pc).
Safe Home Ireland is an emigrant support service that assists people making the move home by providing information and helping link them in with key services.
The charity’s chief executive, Karen McHugh, said the Covid-19 crisis has kept those working with Safe Home Ireland exceptionally busy. She said some people are also considering how Ireland has coped with the virus compared with the UK and the US when making a decision about moving home.
“There are a lot more people who are considering coming home because of where they are based.
“There are certainly people who feel it may be safer here or who have had a longing to come home and see now as the time to do it.
“We have seen crisis returnees, and people who are coming back because they were victims of domestic violence and want to return. People who were considering coming back earlier but became stranded are also coming back now too. There’s definitely movement and desire and we certainly anticipate there will be an increase in returnees.”
She said a majority of the inquiries have come from the UK because it has been easier to travel to Ireland from Britain than other countries due to Covid-19 restrictions. The charity works with housing associations, and helps returnees with accessing banking facilities or social welfare as they plan their return.
“They may be getting in touch because they are considering it and want help with organising or going about it. April, May and June were much busier than we would normally be, so it’s clear there is an appetite out there among people to consider coming home. People often want to be near others during a time of crisis and this period has probably made a lot of people take stock of where they are.”