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Gnáthamharc

Illegal Immigrants.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004

Tuesday, 6 July 2004

Ceisteanna (200, 201, 202)

Paudge Connolly

Ceist:

233 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the initiatives indicated to him by the US President at their recent meeting, aimed at regularising the position of undocumented Irish persons in the US. [20036/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie O'Connor

Ceist:

235 Mr. O’Connor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised with the Government of the United States of America the issue of Irish citizens living illegally in America; if his attention has been drawn to the huge interest in this issue among many here; the position regarding the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20191/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Ring

Ceist:

238 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if during his recent discussions he raised with President Bush the issue of the Irish illegals in America and if so, the response of President Bush; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20472/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 233, 235 and 238 together.

In our capacity as President of the European Union, Ireland hosted the EU-US Summit on 26 June. Before the summit commenced, the Taoiseach and I took advantage of the visit of President Bush and his colleagues to raise a number of issues bilaterally with them. The situation of the undocumented Irish in the United States was one of these issues. The response from President Bush was sympathetic. He indicated that he would like to see this issue resolved, and he recalled that he had proposed to Congress that the status of the undocumented should be regularised, thereby enabling them to come and go as they wished. He also indicated that he was pro-immigration. However, he also made the point that any proposals will have to be approved by Congress.

This is merely the latest in a series of bilateral contacts with US political leaders on this subject. When I visited Washington in March, I met a number of prominent politicians there and took the opportunity to flag our concerns about the position of Irish immigrants in the US. In particular, I welcomed the proposals made earlier this year by President Bush, by Senators Tom Daschle and Chuck Hagel, and more recently by Senator Edward Kennedy.

I believe that all these proposals represent genuine efforts to deal with the situation of the undocumented in the US in a constructive and sympathetic way. While there appears to be no prospect of a formal amnesty for the undocumented at the present time, the Daschle-Hagel and the Kennedy proposals in particular appear to offer undocumented Irish people an opportunity to obtain permanent legal residency. These proposals will have to be approved by the US Congress and it is too early to say what changes or amendments may be made in the course of their consideration by Congress.

I will continue to monitor the progress of both initiatives through the US Congress closely in the coming months. In the meantime, I am aware that, as a result of increased security controls following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, it is becoming harder for undocumented foreign nationals in the US to obtain social security cards and driving licences. While we will continue to do what we can, from a humanitarian point of view, for Irish citizens who are affected by these new controls, the best hope for the future is early progress on the legislative proposals to regularise the status of the undocumented in the US. Through the ongoing efforts of our embassy in Washington and through my own contacts and those of my Cabinet colleagues with political leaders in the US, I will continue to encourage and support measures that would benefit Irish citizens in the US.

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