The contribution made by Irish emigrants has been forgotten, Fr Alan Hilliard, director of the Irish Bishops' Commission for Emigrants, said last night.
The 1.2 million Irish-born living abroad "have little recognition in the policies of our nation.
"We have forgotten them; we took their money when it was sent home, now we have forgotten them," Fr Hilliard said at the annual dinner of the Irish Celtic Supporters Club in Dublin.
One of our greatest crimes is that "we so easily forget the hard work of past generations that gave us the foundations for great football clubs and societies". Celtic Football Club, he recalled, was set up by Br Wilfrid Kerins to raise funds for Irish exiles living in "dire circumstances".
Fr Hilliard told The Irish Times that the recommendations of a 2002 task force on emigrants needed to be implemented. "It is a sad reflection that emigrants are not incorporated into the thought processes of our nation. They have achieved so much abroad and have made an immense contribution to Irish society."
Meanwhile, the Irish community in Britain has vowed to fight for more funding to tackle serious health problems with first and second generation Irish.