asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is the intention of the Government to provide funding for immigrant services in the United States.
23.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigrant Welfare in US.
8.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has made representations to the US authorities to have an amnesty declared for Irish out of status emigrants.
45.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of money which will be provided for emigrant welfare and advice services in the United States; the method of distribution of any such funds voted; the likely number of centres in named places to benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
54.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason no funding has been provided in the Book of Estimates to assist Irish emigrants in the United States.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 23, 45 and 54 together. They all relate to emigration to the United States.
As this House is well aware, the Government have identified the question of emigration to the United States as one deserving of very special attention. Major efforts have been made in this context and I am also glad to report significant progress on the other front on which the Government have been pressing forward. The Government have been conscious that there is a very large community — tens of thousands — of Irish citizens in the US whose immigrant status is irregular. While the Government advise those without the proper documentation not to go, they also accept that they have to address the problem of those already there. In September 1987 at the instigation of the Government the first immigration working committee was established in New York based on our Consulate General there. Since then similar bodies composed of the representatives of the main organisations working with young newly arrived immigrants have been established in other centres. The Government have also appointed a new immigration liaison officer at the New York Consulate General, upgraded the advisory services of our other offices, encouraged city and church authorities to improve the facilities available to immigrants irrespective of status and prepared and circulated booklets on a range of services, including in particular health services, available to Irish emigrants.
As I told the House earlier this month. I attended a meeting of the IWC at New York during my September visit and received an up to date account of its work. The sense of awareness of the problems facing our young people which I found among the members of the committee was most impressive. I assured them of the Government's continuing support for their activities.
I now wish to confirm that it is the intention of the Government to provide financial assistance to support the work of groups in the United States dealing with the welfare of Irish immigrants. I will be making a statement on this matter at a later date when the Government have decided on the amount of the assistance and the modalities for its distribution.
I can say, however, that it is intended that the funds will be channelled through the Consulates General in New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, in consultation with the immigration working committees in those cities. Applications for financial assistance should be made to the appropriate Consultate General. I am happy to say that these efforts have already seen significant successes being gained with still further improvements to the situation in prospect.
The Government have focused on two main areas of endeavour. In the first place they have, from the outset, concentrated on encouraging the Friends of Ireland in Congress to promote measures to reform current US immigration legislation which has put intending emigrants from this country at a considerable disadvantage. Last year President Reagan signed into law an Act which extended the earlier NP-5 or Donnelly Visa Programme. If the 1990 figures are in any way comparable to those of this year, Irish citizens, both those out-of-status in the US and those who intend to go there, could gain more than 50 per cent of the total Donnelly Visa allocation of 40,000.
Efforts to promote legislative reform are continuing this year. Senator Edward Kennedy together with Senators Simpson and Simon had a measure passed by the Senate in July. This measure would bring about a significant modification of the current legislation by introducing a points system in the allocation of US visas.
The next stage is to have a Bill passed in the House of Representatives and this process has already started. As Deputies are aware I visited Washington shortly before the House began its initial hearing and met with both the speaker of the House, Congressman Foley, and Congressman Morrison who is Chairman of the Immigration Sub-Committe of the House. I discussed the overall situation including the issue of an amnesty and the prospects of legislative reform with these legislators and others who are sympathetic towards us. Arising from these discussions it was the very definite and unanimous view of my interlocutors that the chances of obtaining an amnesty at this time were negligible. They advised me that the best approach was to press ahead with legislative reform and gave me hope that real progress would be seen in the life time of this Congress. I can assure the House that the Government will continue their diplomatic efforts in this regard and will take whatever action seems called for in this respect.
We wish to welcome the Taoiseach's announcement that funds will be made available to assist the welfare advice centres for our emigrants in the United States. It is disappointing that the Taoiseach has not been able to reveal to us today what amount of money he has in mind. It is important that a realistic sum would be put forward because the problems are widespread and varied. The fact that they are widespread must be taken into account. Organisations, such as Church groups, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, etc., operating in every centre where there are substantial numbers of young Irish living, with their problems, should be given realistic sums of money to extent their advice and welfare outreach to our emigrants.
This is becoming a very long question.
It is relevant.
The Chair decides these matters, Deputy.
The Taoiseach will be aware that the civil authorities in New York made a financial outreach to such organisations last year and it is little short of shameful that nothing was voted by this House. Of course we agreed that in 1990 things will look better, but let us hope that the amount of money is realistic and is spent creatively.
Thank you for that suggestion.
Does the Taoiseach intend making the announcement as early as possible in regard to the funds available, because there is some doubt whether the funds from the Irish diocese will be available next year. For planning purposes, the organisations need to know very quickly what they are getting from the Irish Government.
I appreciate that.
Would the Taoiseach agree that the big saving in the Social Welfare Bill this year was caused by emigration to the United States? Would he not feel that a proportion of that saving should be spent on emigrant services?
I would not agree. All the indications are that this year emigration, while it still regrettably exists, is on the decrease. I would also direct the Deputy's attention to the ESRI report published within the last few days which indicates that jobs are on the increase and that, undoubtedly, is having an effect on the unemployment lists here.
Emigration is still a major factor.