Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
328 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give an update on the number of illegal Irish residents in the USA; the plans he has to assist them in their citizenship requests and visa problems; the number of Irish citizens deported from the USA in 2003-04; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21356/04]
View answerIt is difficult to estimate the number of Irish citizens who may be resident in the United States without the appropriate authorisation. While the United States citizenship and immigration services have estimated that the number may have declined to 3,000 in the year 2000, I know that many of the agencies working with our emigrants would regard this figure as a low estimate. Figures published by the US Office of Immigration Statistics report that 49 Irish nationals were deported from the United States between October 2003 and July 2004. Of these, 29 were categorised by the US authorities as "non-criminal" deportations and are likely to have arisen from immigration offences. The situation of the undocumented Irish continues to be raised regularly in our bilateral contacts with US political leaders, including when the Taoiseach and I met President Bush in June 2004. I welcome the proposals on immigration made earlier this year by President Bush and members of Congress. I believe that all of these proposals represent genuine efforts to deal with the situation of the undocumented in the US in a constructive and sympathetic way. The Daschle-Hagel and Kennedy proposals in particular appear to offer undocumented Irish people an opportunity to obtain permanent legal residency. These proposals will have to be approved by the US Congress and it is too early to say what changes or amendments may be made in the course of their consideration by Congress. I will continue to monitor the progress of these initiatives through the US Congress, though I would not envisage any real movement in advance of the US elections.
Last week in New York I announced an allocation of $607,000 for services for Irish emigrants in the United States. Recipients of funding are agencies which provide information, advice and outreach services for our emigrants, including the undocumented Irish. This funding represents an increase of over 70% on last year's grant. It reflects the Government's continuing and strong commitment to support efforts which improve the circumstances of vulnerable Irish living abroad. The Embassy in Washington and our network of Consulates continue to work closely with Irish citizens in vulnerable circumstances in the United States. Through the ongoing efforts of our Embassy and my own contacts and those of my Cabinet colleagues with political leaders in the US, I will continue to encourage and support measures that would benefit Irish citizensthere.
