Tony Gregory
Ceist:36 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Irish citizens, who availed of Donnelly visas, are now being issued with draft papers by the US Defence Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers - US Immigrant Visas.
It is my understanding that US draft papers may only be issued under the authority of a specific Act passed by the US Congress. There is no such Act in force at the moment and I am not aware that this Congress is currently considering any proposal to introduce new legislation in this area.
I should explain that US law specifies that male US citizens and male aliens with permanent resident status and living in the US, who are between the ages of 18 and 26, are required to register with what is known as the Selective Service System. The Selective Service System is an independent agency within the executive branch of the US Federal Government which, under US law, fulfils the role of administering a call-up system to the armed forces in time of emergency in accordance with requirements established by the US Department of Defence.
Those eligible Irish emigrants who have successfully obtained US immigrant visas would generally have been informed by the relevant US Embassy or Consulate of their obligation to register with the Selective Services System at the time of the issuance of their immigrant visa. The Selective Services System would, on the basis of information provided by the US Immigration and Naturalisation Service, send the eligible person, following the commencement of his residence in the US, a formal letter of notification and the relevant registration forms which he would have to complete and return.
I would like to emphasise the fact that, even though a male is required under US law to register with the Selective Service System, it does not follow that he would necessarily be drafted. In the event of the US Congress passing a Bill authorising the reintroduction of the draft, a registrant subject to induction would have his eligibility for service determined based on his individual situation at the time.