asked the Taoiseach whether he proposes to have any discussions with President Reagan before the latter leaves office.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Discussions with Outgoing US President.
5.
I have no plans for such a discussion. Regular contact, at Government and diplomatic level, on issues of concern to us, is of course maintained with US administrations.
I did not have in mind a formal meeting but rather that the Taoiseach might make contact with the retiring President by telephone. I am sure the Taoiseach could get through to the President even if there is not a hot line from here to him. I want to raise with the Taoiseach the fact that there is an historic opportunity for the retiring President who is of Irish stock, to do something to acknowledge that Irish background. I have in mind that the Taoiseach would raise with that retiring President the situation of the illegal Irish in the United States and to make an executive order to legalise their status as he did for the Nicaraguans and for the Poles. Would the Taoiseach accept that as being a timely suggestion, now that President Reagan is about to retire and approach him on that basis?
That has already happened. The first day I met President Reagan I raised with him the question of the young Irish in the United States. The recent substantial conditional number of visas which have been allocated were authorised by the President as one of his last acts.
The Taoiseach may have missed the point and may be reading far too much into the Rudino legislation. I am talking about the position of the illegals who cannot qualify for additional Donnelly visas or otherwise, presently estimated at about 100,000.
This is a very distinct matter and ought to be raised separately.
I tried to raise this matter last week but the Taoiseach transferred this particular question. What I am saying to him is that he now has an opportunity to raise the position of approximately 100,000 illegal Irish immigrants with a retiring President of Irish stock——
The Deputy has already made that point.
——and I want to emphasise that the President has in his time made a similar order in relation——
Deputy O'Keeffe is elaborating over much on this matter.
I do not want to overelaborate. All I want to do is clarify what exactly I want the Taoiseach to raise with the President. I am asking the Taoiseach to ask the President to do for the 100,000 or so illegal Irish immigrants as he did for 200,000 Nicaraguans and a similar number of Poles and to make an executive order before he leaves office to legalise their status.
The Deputy should have put down a specific question on that matter.
There is nothing further the President can do at this stage. In the case of the Nicaraguans, the Deputy was referring to deportations.
Question No. 6, in the name of Deputy Peter Barry.
The Taoiseach does not know the full story, more can be done.
(Interruptions.)
The Taoiseach has lost an historic opportunity.
I would like Deputy O'Keeffe to agree with me in deference to President Reagan that he did sign that last Bill in respect of 25,000 additional visas.
That went through the House.
That is no good for our illegals.
(Interruptions.)
I have called the next question.
Can the Taoiseach give me assurance that he will protect those at present in the United States? I would like to ask——
Please, Deputy Enright.
The Deputy does not understand anything about this matter. I have spent more time on this matter than anybody else in this House.
Let us proceed to the next question.