Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 July 2013
26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the recent discussions he had in the United States on the Immigration Reform Bill; if he had meetings with groups representing the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35956/13]
View answer61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent visit to Washington DC; if he will outline the current obstacles to comprehensive immigration reform being passed by the US Congress; the actions he will take to ensure these obstacles are overcome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36583/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 61 together.
Immigration reform was the key feature of my visit to Washington DC on 11/12 July during which I met with many of the most significant Congressional leaders on immigration issues from both sides of the US political divide and at senior official level in the White House. These meetings included Congressman Paul Ryan, Congressman Bob Goodlatte (Chair of the House Judiciary Committee), Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Pete King (Chair of the Friends of Ireland Group), Congressman Richie Neal, Congressman Joe Crowley, Congressman Joe Kennedy, Congressman Mike Grimm, and Congressman Tom Rooney, and I spoke with Congresswomen Zoe Lofgren, Ranking Member on the House Sub-Committee on Immigration by phone. I also met with the policy director and counsel to the Majority Whip Congressman Kevin McCarthy and with Speaker Boehner’s chief of Staff, Mike Sommers. In the Senate, I met with Senator John McCain, Senator Pat Leahy and Senator Dick Durbin.
I also met with representatives of Irish-American community groups with whom the Embassy has worked closely in the context of shared US immigration reform objectives: the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform and the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR). That meeting was an opportunity to update them on my engagements, to reiterate the strong support of the Government for immigration reform and to hear their views and suggestions.
The plight of the undocumented remains a top priority for the Government and I was keen to emphasise the Irish interest in the issue during my meetings in particular with Republican members of the House of Representatives. The issue of future legal flows for Irish migrants is also important and I welcome the inclusion of provisions for an Irish E-3 visa in the Senate Bill.
While progress to date has been encouraging, particularly the adoption of the US Senate Bill, the focus now is in the House of Representatives and there is a challenging road ahead. It is not possible at this stage to specify an exact timeframe for the work of the House. The Government, through the Embassy in Washington DC, will remain fully engaged with the issue.
In my contacts on Capitol Hill, I also took the opportunity to discuss corporate taxation, in particular with Senator McCain and Congressman Ryan.
I also had a series of economic engagements, including a business breakfast with leading investor companies and an address on Ireland’s EU Presidency and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership at the European Institute, as well as a meeting with the IMF.
