The report from University College Cork's Department of Geography and the Institute for Social Sciences in the 21st Century illustrates that the economic downturn might not have been the prevailing motivation for the huge amount of people emigrating in recent years.

Almost half of Irish emigrants had full-time jobs at the time of leaving, while only 23% were unemployed. And despite not experiencing the same level of unemployment as Spain or Greece, more people have left Ireland during the recession than any other Western European country.

The statistics suggest that an interest in travel and an appetite for new experiences have motivated many people to leave the country. Despite these findings, however, Ireland’s economic problems are still very much at the forefront of most emigrants’ minds. 82% of emigrants surveyed said that improvements to the Irish economy would improve their likelihood of returning. You can read more about the results here.

While economic concerns have traditionally been the primary cause for emigration, the new report reveals some of the complex factors that now determine people’s decision to move abroad. With the easy availability of J1 and working holiday visas, many young people are opting to only temporarily leave Ireland - whether that’s for the summer or a few years - following the completion of their third level education.

Internet technology, meanwhile, ensures it’s now significantly easier to keep in contact with friends and relatives than it was even a few decades ago, as well making it easier to stay in-tune with Irish affairs (over 70% of emigrants frequently read Irish newspapers online, for example). Cheaper travel fares mean emigrants can also easily return to Ireland for visits. These factors and more can help emigrants feel closer to home than they ever did before.

Newstalk Lunchtime will be the discussing the topic later today and we want to know your opinion. Do you think recent high levels of emigration have been a result of unemployment or changing lifestyles? Are young adults simply taking advantage of the myriad of opportunities to live and work abroad for a while, or is the Irish economy forcing them to do so? Or is emigration a more complex mix of these and other factors? Vote in our poll and leave your comments below.