Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
91. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of meetings and dates of meetings that a person (details supplied) has had since being appointed as the special envoy regarding the undocumented Irish in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32661/18]
View answer92. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if additional resources have been provided to a person (details supplied) in his capacity as the special envoy regarding the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32662/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 92 together.
Since his appointment in June 2017, Deputy Deasy has undertaken nine separate visits to the United States in his role as Special Envoy to the United States Congress on the Undocumented Irish.
Deputy Deasy continues to work to achieve the Government’s chief priorities regarding this issue: to seek a solution to the plight of thousands of undocumented Irish citizens resident in the US, and to avail of all opportunities to raise US immigration reform and the status of the undocumented Irish with the US administration and with contacts on Capitol Hill.
To this end, Deputy Deasy’s programmes have included over fifty meetings during his nine separate visits. Those visits took place on the following dates:
22 - 28 July 2017;
04 - 09 September 2017;
03 - 06 October 2017;
27 November - 02 December 2017;
22 - 26 January 2018;
05 - 09 February 2018;
11 - 16 March 2018;
23 - 25 April 2018; and
26 - 29 June 2018.
Deputy Deasy has worked in conjunction with our Embassy in Washington, D.C., and officials in my Department in Dublin who follow this issue closely. The resources required for Deputy Deasy to perform his role have been drawn from existing resources in my Department, and no additional resources or remuneration have been provided to the Deputy with regard to his role as Special Envoy.
I can assure the Deputy that Deputy Deasy and officials within my Department, will, under my direction, continue to give priority to this issue, mindful of its importance to the thousands of undocumented Irish citizens in the United States and to their families in Ireland.
