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Undocumented Irish in the USA

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2013

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Questions (99, 118, 132, 133, 151)

Joe McHugh

Question:

99. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his most recent efforts to promote political support in the US House of Representatives for the Immigration Reform Bill 2013. [48806/13]

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Joe McHugh

Question:

118. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his efforts to promote support in the US House of Representatives for the Immigration Reform Bill; and his priorities for the upcoming 12 months in respect of engagement with the United States regarding American immigration reform, US-EU trade and US-Irish trade. [44106/13]

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Denis Naughten

Question:

132. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he held regarding legislative reforms to assist the undocumented Irish; the current status of plans for an E3 visa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49407/13]

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Denis Naughten

Question:

133. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date on the introduction of an E3 visa in the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49408/13]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

151. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress towards addressing the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States with particular reference to the progress of the relevant immigration legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49546/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 118, 132, 133 and 151 together.

This is an issue to which I accord very high priority, being conscious of the acute difficulties experienced by Irish undocumented in the United States, many of whom I have met on my visits there.

I have maintained contact, both directly and through our Embassy in Washington, with many key players in Congress including Republican Congressman Paul Ryan, Chair of the House Budgetary Committee and former Vice-Presidential nominee; Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee; leading Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressmen Mark Amodei, Spencer Bachus and Doug Collins; Minority House Leader Nancy Pelosi; Chair of the Congressional Friends of Ireland, Pete King; and the offices of House Speaker John Boehner and of House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy. I have also maintained contact with key figures in the US Administration and with Irish-American community representatives.

I have reiterated throughout all these contacts the Government’s interest in all aspects of immigration reform and in particular our interest in seeing an overall agreement reached which provides relief for currently undocumented Irish migrants and a facility for future flows of legal migration between Ireland and the US.

In this context, we very much welcomed the US Senate’s approval of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Bill by a 68-32 margin on 27 June last.

The comprehensive draft legislation, which was drafted over several months by a bipartisan group of eight US Senators, provides for extensive reform of the US immigration system. It includes provisions that would legalise the status 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 via the proposed E-3 visa. The focus has since shifted to the House of Representatives for its consideration of the issues and a key factor here remains convincing the Republican House Majority of the importance of making progress. It remains to be seen whether a consolidated Bill can be agreed between the Senate and the House of Representatives. It is generally accepted that securing overall agreement will remain a complex and challenging process, particularly at a time when Congress has been preoccupied by budgetary and debt issues. This was clear from my most recent contacts and I believe the challenge to secure agreement has become even greater in recent times. I am determined to continue to deploy all necessary resources at political, diplomatic and Irish community level to make progress on this vital issue. In support of this ongoing effort, a delegation of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade visited Washington DC last month for a programme arranged by our Embassy during which they met with key members of Congress and with Irish-American community representatives.

The Embassy in Washington continues our intensive follow-up work with all of our contacts on Capitol Hill and particularly with the Republican House leadership. It also continues to co-ordinate our lobbying efforts with our Irish-American community representatives. I wish to acknowledge the critically important role being played by these community organisations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform and the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform.

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