A project to locate, repatriate and house emigrants from South Kerry who are based in Britain is being put together in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.
One of the leaders of the project, Cllr Paul O'Donoghue, said that following the revelations on a recent RTÉ Prime Time programme of the dire situation of some elderly Irish people living in England, it was no longer possible to stand idly by.
"These people left because of harsh economic circumstances. They are still our own people and we should try every way we can to assist these Kerry people who want to come home."
He also wants council policy changed to allow Kerry natives to apply for social housing, even if they have not been resident in the county for many years. Under current council housing policy in Kerry, applicants for housing must be permanent residents in the county.
The Cahersiveen Social Services Committee have now put together a scheme which will circumvent the residency clause and also seek out and repatriate up to 15 exiles at any one time. A building which they own, the former College Arms Hotel, Cahersiveen's first hotel, is to be converted into apartments, providing a funding application to the Department of the Environment and Local Government is successful.
The group said it had already located some exiles with the help of social services in England and are confident of Government funding.