Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1959 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Independent, 15.05.1959

Emigration and Debt

Elizabeth F. Bobbett, Springfield, Kilbride, County Wicklow, writes: May I express my deep appreciation and thanks to Most Rev. Dr. Cornelius Lucey, Bishop of Cork, for his firm upholding of the rural people and his very clear pronouncements as to the cause of emigration and the ever increasing National Debt. Speaking at a Confirmation ceremony in Kinsale the other day Most Rev. Dr. Lucey gave the following official figures: During the five years 1951-1956 the population of the 26 Counties fell by over 200,000 persons having emigrated, and for years 1957-1958 the estimated fail was between 50,000 and 60,000. The National Debt went up in the period 1952-1958 by no less than £179,310,000 namely from £191,612,000 to £370,922,000.

Speaking on the same subject last year Dr. Lucey said: “How can a falling population pay interest on an ever increasing National Debt much less repay the loans that have become due. There is only one answer but who is bold enough and honest enough to give it?”

A group of people in Cork started a movement to curb Emigration calling the movement The Emigration Action Movement (in short TEAM), their president is Mr. T. Pearse Leahy and their address is 33 Patrick St., Cork. It is strictly non-political and their four-point programme calls for the establishment of a true Irish national currency. Credit to be controlled by the Government so that the Government may be able to give interest-free loans repayable out of production. Other aims are, bringing back Irish money invested abroad for investment here, and giving power for the fixing of rates of exchange into the hands of the Government rather than to private groups or individuals.

I welcome such a policy as without Financial Freedom we cannot have economic freedom.