Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 June 2018
94. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which his Department continues to monitor the situation in respect of the undocumented Irish in the US with particular reference to the need to ensure their safety from exploitation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28338/18]
View answerFirst of all, I have to say that I am not aware of any particular incidences of Irish citizens being exploited due to their undocumented status but I would ask the Deputy to furnish me with the details of any such incidences for follow-up.As regards the broader question of relief for the undocumented Irish living in the US, the Government has consistently pursued two key objectives with regard to supporting Irish communities in the United States: increased pathways for legal migration by Irish citizens to the US and relief for the plight of undocumented Irish citizens living in the US. In that regard, the Taoiseach discussed the issue with President Trump in the Oval Office last March and also in his meetings on Capitol Hill during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day visit.
In addition to the exchanges over the St. Patrick’s Day period, I had previously raised the issue with then-Secretary of State Tillerson when I visited Washington DC in February, and with senior Congressional figures.
The Government’s Special Envoy to the United States Congress on the Undocumented, Deputy John Deasy, has also been very active on the issue, and is due to travel to Washington D.C. again shortly for meetings with key contacts.
In addition, our Embassy in Washington DC continues to engage on an ongoing basis with the Administration and with contacts on Capitol Hill.
The Embassy, as well as our six Consulates across the United States, also works very closely with Irish immigration centres which support the needs of Irish citizens in the United States. Our Ambassador in Washington hosted a meeting last month with representatives of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers at the Embassy in Washington, DC, where there was a very good exchange of views on the challenges facing Irish immigrants in the US, both documented and undocumented, and on the prospects for relief for the undocumented Irish.
Through these many high-level contacts and discussions, the Government has been exploring a number of different options, including the possibility of a reciprocal agreement covering the undocumented Irish in the US, on the one hand, and US citizens looking to move to Ireland, on the other.
However, this remains a very challenging issue and I do not want to raise expectations unduly. Immigration reform has been a sensitive and indeed divisive issue within the US political system for decades, with pronounced disagreement, even within the same political parties, on the best way to deal with an issue which directly affects over 11 million people. The recent controversy around the separation of undocumented children from their parents served to illustrate how divisive an issue this has become and how challenging it will be for us to find a solution for the undocumented Irish.
That said, I can assure the House that the Government, its Special Envoy and our Embassy in Washington DC are continuing to give top priority to this issue, mindful of its importance to the thousands of undocumented and to their families in Ireland, and that we will spare no effort in seeking a solution.
