Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 February 2014
77. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had contact with Members of the US Administration or Members of Congress following the recent comments by the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mr. Boehner, on the immigration reform Bill in view of the need to regularise the position of many undocumented Irish in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7352/14]
View answerFollowing passage of the comprehensive immigration reform legislation, on a bi-partisan basis, by the US Senate last June, the issue has been under consideration in the Republican controlled House of Representatives. Public comments and private conversations which I, the Taoiseach and our Embassy in Washington DC had with leaders of the House Republican caucus, had given rise to expectations that the House would take up consideration of a series of immigration reform bills last autumn. Unfortunately that did not come to pass.
Early last month, further public comments from Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Chief Whip Kevin McCarthy again raised hopes that the Republican leadership in the House saw the need to proceed with immigration reform. To that end, the leadership prepared a set of draft principles that would guide their action on immigration in the House and presented them to the members of their caucus for consideration at a meeting on 30 January 2014.
Informed by that discussion, Speaker Boehner gave a press conference on 5 February in which he expressed doubts that the House would pass immigration reform legislation this year. He did reassert that immigration reform is something that needs to get done and that he would continue to consult his members. Given that expectations had again been raised, these and other comments are disappointing. However, it is important that we keep our focus on the endgame. The Government through our Ambassador in Washington DC and her team are continuing an extensive outreach and engagement with members of Congress and with the Irish groups and organisations who are lobbying for immigration reform. We are monitoring the ongoing discussions within the Republican Party and continuing to press the case for addressing the concerns of our undocumented and to provide for a future legal flow for Irish immigrants to the United States. The forthcoming St. Patrick’s Day visits to the United States will provide a further important opportunity to engage with US leaders in support of our immigration objectives and to assess the prospects for the weeks and months ahead. We remain fully committed to the effort to achieve an outcome that addresses the needs of our undocumented and creates a legal path for the future.
