Certificates of Irish heritage to be rolled out in coming weeks

Just Great I'm for this if you can prove that you have grandparents born in Ireland,

Maybe George is only claiming to be American; he sounds like one of those silly little BNP people.

Sure George is actually Moe Szyslak: 'Even when it was the bears I knew it was the immigrants'. I have informed him previously that Ireland welcomed immigrants due to labour shortages in the economy. I also pointed out that people who work in Ireland, and pay taxes here, are entitled to social welfare if they lose their job (subject to conditions). I also took him through the statistics showing that immigrants account for well over half the total number of people emigrating from Ireland (very significant when you consider their much smaller population in Ireland). Of course George, you ran away from our last debate on the article by Cathal Dervan on the 10th April regarding Ireland's corporate tax rate (once again it was those pesky 'imigants') so why are you trying to do it again? Trying to find new ears perhaps? I wonder if you are indicative of falling standards in America -I hope not; if you are, then perhaps more of the money the US borrows from China, should be invested in its education system -it will have to invest in education if it is is to recover its true place in the world.

To george dillon, you are totally wrong and obnoxious as usual. The Brazilians are leaving Gort and Roscommon {if you've ever heard of these places you imbecile} by the minute, not only because of "your" american company, lehman brothers'fault but also because their own economy is on the up and up. george, you are the kind of yank who should be barred from leaving the u.s.a. because you show the country in a bad light when you travel. Stay at home and keep attending your Tea Party nazi meetings.

I guess my first comment didn't post. Oh well, you get the idea.

And, before the attacks start, I'm not being mean spirited toward the Irish 'diaspora'. If you choose to have a certificate for genealogical purposes, that's great. But please do not think that this piece of paper is a free pass to Irish culture. As I have said in many other posts, please declare your Irishness by going to Ireland and learning about the culture, the people, the history, your history...so you know something about the place. Live it, don't certify it.

Just a friendly wee heads up to any American planning on obtaining this certificate......do not even dare mention it while you are in Ireland (that's if you ever go)....you will be laughed right out of the country. I sincerely hope that people do not take this seriously. It is nothing more than a money making promotion.

@GeorgeDillon -As I'm sure you know well, David McWilliams is a famous economist and author, and the brainchild of the event which suggested the above certificate initiative. He has written many well known articles regarding Ireland reconnecting with its diaspora and he also made a TV program regarding same. He has often written about two young Argentines whom he met and who were refused Irish citizenship, despite being of Irish ancestry, and having a great deal of knowledge of Ireland etc. They also featured on one of his TV shows discussing his ideas such as the introduction of 'a right to return' policy. Is it a coincidence that your 'acquaintances' were two young Argentines who had the exact same problem, Nope. Its funny where you say:'He claims that I saw a program McWilliams did on Africa.' You're not on trial George, there's no need to try and exonerate yourself to IrishCentral.

Oh personally I don't really care about spelling mistakes and such; I just like pointing out your mistakes because you have been so condescending to people regarding their grammar in the past (people who were minding their own business until you, the malcontent, came along). So really I'm just trying to help you keep your high standards. In that regard, sentences always start with a capital letter; 'goveernment' is spelt government; if you are writing 'etc.' and it is not the end of the sentence you should really write 'etc.,'. Furthermore, there is only one 'a' in Latvia. In fact your second last post is full of spelling and punctuation mistakes; it suggests to me that you wrote it in a temper. Of course it is your distorted, bigoted opinions that let you down the most.

By the way, kinvara, it's "amendments", not the illiterate nonsense you wrote.

I don't have infinite time to deal with this poster kinvara. Just a few quick points. First, he's a liar. he claimed that the number of foreign migrants in Ireland is declining. It most certainly is not. The only thing that may be changing is the color of their skin. Fewer Poles, more Pakistanis. Migrants are migrants, I could care less about their skin color. He also lied to those by claiming that the importation of foreign migrants was an EU obligation. Of course I might say in passing that anyone who cites the EU as a moral force in today's Ireland is a simpleton, but the more substantive point is that this fool seems to think that countries such as India, China, Pakistan, Brazil are EU members, since these are the countries that are currently stuffing Ireland with their citizens. Nor did he mention the fact that the Irish goveernment deliberately asked for foreign migrants some years ago, when they had the option of postponing the influx. The result of that stupidity by kinvara's buddies in Fianna Fail is that Ireland is now spending billions of welfare, free education, healthcare etc. for people from Laatvia, Poland, Nigeria etc. etc. It shocked me when I happoened to be in a Post Office over there on the day they were handing out welfare benefits. About 70% of the people in line were not Irish. The Irish are borrowing from the Germans in order to pay welfare to the Poles. Morons. Finally, kinvara's stupidity is confirmed by his nonsensical reference to the TV presenter David McWillliams. He claims that I saw a program McWilliams did on Africa. Are you such an imbecile, kinvara, that you think David McWilliams is shown primetime here on NBC or CBS? I guess you are.

The Dalai Llama is currently wandering about in Ireland. In another Article: Telling folk to 'work hard, be determined, and forgive the bankers'. No better craic to be found. Tis only fair he be Certified. Schollarly research reveals Dalai Llama is actually third generation Irish and the Tibetan for 'Danny Lynch'.

but just think of the data base you will develop of buyers for Irish products to sell. With all that info, maybe just what the economy needs.. at a mere 3% return from 70 million you should do quite well as a retailer.. I need work anyone?? as for me, I don't need no stinkin badges..I love Ireland and its people anyway.

@GeorgeDillon - How can I address the topic in a manner that you can understand? Well, let's put it this way: if you buy a Yankees jersey and a sticker for your car to show that you are a Yankees fan -thats great, but that does not let you into the stadium to watch a game; you still need a ticket. These certificates do not grant Irish citizenship; they just offer formal recognition of their Irish ancestry. Again, a Polish person is a citizen of the EU, therefore of course they can enter Ireland more freely than a non EU citizen. Remember, as I pointed out to CitizenWhy, many members of the Diaspora are entitled to Irish citizenship. As regards your anecdote about the Argentinians (not 'Argentineans') I strongly doubt that they are of your acquaintance. Infact I'm certain that you have lifted it from an Article by David McWilliams (of course it is perfectly valid to refer to it to support your argument, but you don't have to lie about your source; I'm happy to see you doing a little research). I would be happy to see this initiative followed up, and advanced further. Finally, my reply to Realist was in relation to the Irish Constitution and religion. I didn't mention De Valera regarding the diaspora provision, and the Constitution is generaly referred to as the 1937 Constitution irrespective of ammendments. We all enjoy point scoring, that is just human nature, but you would do far better at advancing your arguments if you eased up on inane comments and name calling.

Realist--You've let yourself be fooled by the ignorant poster styling himself Kinvara. The piece of blather that clown posted is not from the 1937 Constitution. It's not much more than a decade old. Dev was a quarter of a century dead when it was put into the Constitution. So don't get sidetracked into a Dev-bashing session prompted by yet another inanity proffered by kinvara. Your best bet is to treat all posts by this nitwit kinvara as Fianna Fail verbiage. I smell the Fianna Fail mindset--a smarmy sentimentality about the Irish diaspora that masks a desire to make money off them. And of course remember my point, which the creepy Fianna Failer kinvara couldn't answer. For all the claptrap in the 26 County Constitution about people of Irish ancestry, the truth is as I laid it out. Regardless of a person's Irish ancestry, be they American, Australian or Argentinian, when they walk thru Immigration at Dublin Airport that Irish ancestry gives them ZERO extra rights. I know this happens, because young Irish-Argentineans of my acquaintance were turned around and sent home by the worthless Irish authorities. This despite the fact that they knew more Irish language and history than most Irish do--kinvara is an obvious example of this ignorance. While those of Irish ancestry are in line, explaining to Immigration how long they'll be in Ireland and how they're going to support themselves, the Poles, Pakis, Angolans, Slovaks etc. are breezing by. That's the reality of Ireland's "special relationship" hypocritical garbage with those whose forefathers were forced to emigrate.