Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2013
87. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which contact has been made with undocumented Irish in the US with particular reference to the need to regularisation; the extent of progress in relation to such matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23619/13]
View answerA resolution of the situation facing the undocumented Irish in the United States has been and remains a priority for the Government in ongoing contacts with the US Administration and Congress. The Government have also attached great importance to providing for future flows of migration between Ireland and the United States through the extension of the so called E3 visa scheme to include Irish citizens.
In this context, we very much welcome the publication last month of the US Senate’s Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Bill which provides for reform of the US immigration system.
The comprehensive draft legislation, which was drafted over several months by a bipartisan group of eight US Senators, includes provisions that would legalise the status of thousands of undocumented Irish people and provide a path to permanent residency. It also provides for future flows of legal migration between Ireland and the US.
The Bill is a very positive development. Its provisions, if adopted, would help to end the great hardship and uncertainty faced by undocumented Irish in the US and their families here in Ireland. The inclusion of a new provision to allow several thousand Irish citizens to legally avail of employment opportunities in the US every year is also particularly welcome.
Both of these issues were a key focus of the ongoing contacts undertaken by the Taoiseach and me with political leaders in the US, particularly during our visit to Washington D.C. over St. Patrick’s Day when we discussed the prospects for progress with Ireland’s key friends on Capitol Hill and in the Administration. The Government has maintained close contact since publication of the Bill with the key players through our Embassy in Washington.
It is important to recall that the overall issues involved are complex and sensitive ones within the US political system and that much further debate is likely to be required before the final shape of any overall legislation becomes clear.
I would like to reiterate my appreciation for the active support we continue to receive from a number of Irish community organisations, including the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, the Chicago Celts and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
