‘Forgotten’ stranded Irish in Australia need government’s help now – Carthy
Thousands of young Irish people are stranded and ‘forgotten’ in Australia because of the Covid-19 pandemic and are ‘begging’ for their government’s help right now, according to Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy.
The Cavan-Monaghan TD said he had been contacted this morning by constituents who are working in Perth and Sydney, desperately seeking help now that Australia has been put on lockdown and all non-essential services have been halted.
Mr Carthy said the current situation in the country for tens of thousands of young Irish people is ‘dire’ because they are on working holiday visas and are not entitled to State assistance from the Australian government.
In addition, almost all flights in and out of the country have been suspended, leaving thousands of Irish people, mostly aged between 20 and 30, with ‘absolutely no means of living during this lockdown and no means of getting out’.
Mr Carthy has today contacted Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney and Minister of State with responsibility for the Global Irish, Ciarán Cannon, to highlight the situation.
He said: ‘This is a global pandemic that is affecting every country in the world. There are thousands upon thousands of young people stranded in Australia at the moment who have told me they feel like they have been forgotten by Ireland.
‘Many of them are on working holiday visas and with the lockdown of Australia in the last 24 hours, thousands of them are suddenly out of work and have no way of supporting themselves during this crisis because they don’t qualify for assistance from the Australian state.
‘They are desperate to get home, but even if they can get a flight, they are being quoted between AUS€10,000 and AUS$16,000 to get home, which is way beyond their means. They are terrified, they tell me, and they are begging the Irish government to help them’.
In his letter to Ministers Coveney and Cannon, Mr Carthy asks that the government considers chartering special flights to get those who want to come home out of Australia. He has also asked that they consider giving direct financial aid to the Irish on visas in Australia who have no way of supporting themselves.
He said: ‘We need to look after our people, no matter where they are. The situation is unique and unprecedented and the government needs to step up and assist the thousands of Irish in Australia using every and all means at their disposal’.
ENDS
What are the Irish government doing about this ? People have spent money trying to get home and are stranded jobless and homeless
Please act urgently we at home are worried sick for family members abroad!
Im an irish citizen in Melbourne. I have created a group on Facebook, theres almost 300 individuals in it. We all want to go home. My boyfriend and I have spent almost 5 thousand euro between us on flights that have been cancelled which is almost all our savings. We need to go home to our families.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/207129667295424/
What about New Zealand as well
My friends daughter and partner are stranded … dreadful nobody will help
can I get an update on this please, my son is stranded in Australia on working visa that runs out in a week and no money to support himself at all, will our government get them on chartered flights to bring them home ? hoe and pray xx
I am one of the stranded an thats a first Imagine locked up outside Whats the opposite of internment!!!
I agree and it is exactly the same for thousands of french young people. I am calling Emmanuel Macron French President secretary every day and nothing is done ???
Please help bring our Irish citizens home. My daughter is on 1yr visa since last August. Has contract till 20th April was suppose to go on her regional work to Moxey farm on 25th April now this might not go ahead. Can the government please put something in place to help our young Irish citizens on working visas in Australia. So far they have no entitlements or aid from Australian government,they have rents,losing jobs daily,no way home,please can anybody help them. Thank you.
Check out Australian PM #SCOMO announcement for all overseas visitors who have no means of income to make their way home now.