AMBASSADOR ESPIRITU SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDES TRIP TO DUBLIN , IRELAND  

28 May 2007 — Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Edgardo B. Espiritu reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that he visited Dublin on 27 April 2007 as part of his regular visits to Ireland as anon-resident Ambassador there.  

The Ambassador's full itinerary included a series of meetings with officials from the Irish Departments of Foreign Affairs, Education, Health, and Justice, and a dialogue with the Filipino community.  

During his meeting with Assistant Secretary Mary Wheelan of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Espiritu asked the Irish Foreign Affairs Department for the inclusion of the Philippines as a “priority Asian country” in Ireland's Asia strategy and raised the possibility of greater engagement by Philippine companies in construction and information technology-enabled outsourcing, as well as partnerships in mining operations and tourism-related activities.  This elicited a positive reaction from the Irish side, particularly in the area of increasing the flows of Irish tourists to the Philippines .  

His meeting with Ms. Wheelan was followed by a meeting with Mr. Jerome Kelly and Mr. Tony Morris of the Irish Department of Education and Health and Children, respectively. Ambassador Espiritu expressed his desire for continued strong Filipino presence in the Irish health sector.  At present, the Irish Registry reports that there are more than 4,000 Filipino nurses in Ireland , with 438 new nurses registering in 2006 and 66 for the first three months of 2007.  

“During our past dialogues with them, Filipino nurses in Ireland had repeatedly voiced their concerns about their children's access to higher education,” said Ambassador Espiritu.  

“In 2005, it is reckoned that Filipino nurses paid up to €18 million in taxes.  While this contribution is acknowledged by the Irish government, they feel that they still do not get the benefit of such taxes as their children are denied full access to higher education.”  

While the Irish authority recognized that there may be no immediate solution to this concern, it took note of the issue on access to higher education and offered palliatives such as reduced fees for Filipino students below 23 years old, staying with parents who have been in Ireland for the last three years, and subsidies and grants through Irish Universities Association.  

Ambassador Espiritu also met with Mr. Kevin O'Sullivan of the Department of Justice to echo the anxiety of Filipino nurses over proposed immigration and residency legislation.  There is a pervading sense among Filipino nurses in Ireland that they are treated more like ”guest workers” instead of more desirable category enjoying greater protection and access to taxpayers' services.  

The Ambassador concluded his day with a dialogue with the Filipino community, during which he reported on the results of his meetings with Irish officials, particularly on issues of concern to them.  Consular services were rendered at the sidelines of the dialogue.  END

/jay

(Home)