IRISH people who have recently returned home are being asked to share their experiences in a new online survey.
The ‘Returned Irish’ emigrant survey was conceived by Crosscare Migrant Project, a Dublin based non-governmental organisation affiliated to Dublin’s Catholic Archdiocese.
As part of the survey, Irish people are being asked to reflect on their experience of moving back home after previously having left the country.
Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) published findings earlier this year which showed a 74 per cent increase in the number of Irish people moving back to Ireland from abroad.
Crosscare hope that the results of their survey will help support others considering a similar move.
The survey, which launches today at Wood Quay Office in Dublin, in conjunction with Dublin City Council's Social Inclusion Unit, is hosting a special event entitled 'Moving to Ireland'.
The event will begin with a special screening of the new independent documentary, Coming Home.
It charts the journeys of five Irish people across four continents, as they make the decision to pack up their bags and return home to live in Ireland.
Made by Cathal Kenna, the film traces the journey of the emigrants from their initial departures from Ireland, ranging from Ireland in the 1950’s to the more recent wave of emigration in 2008.
After the screening, the producer and members of the cast will host a Q&A session, followed by inputs from Ciara Kenny, writer of the Irish Times Abroad, and Sarah Owen of Crosscare Migrant Project.
The audience will be made up of recently returned Irish emigrants and new migrants living in Ireland, and they will be invited to share their experiences on transitioning back into Irish life.
Launching the first Ireland-wide survey of returned emigrants, Ms Owen said: "Through our work with Irish organisations worldwide, we are aware of increased numbers of people thinking about coming home, particularly from Australia and Canada.
“We know that people are worried about the cost of moving home and getting children into school before they return.
"We're asking people who have come back in the last two years to share their thoughts and experiences to help others prepare for their move home."
