Micheál Martin
Ceist:237. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline the status of progress with regard to the Irish undocumented in the United States of America. [49852/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 28 November 2017
Ceisteanna (237)
Freagraí scríofa
The Government continues to avail of all opportunities to raise immigration reform and the status of the undocumented Irish in the US issue with the US administration and with contacts on Capitol Hill. We do not, however, underestimate the size of the challenge. This policy area has been a deeply 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 Government has consistently engaged with both parties in a bipartisan way to address our longstanding concerns and this continues to be our approach, with officials from our Embassy in Washington DC in regular contact with the administration and with congressional contacts on both sides of the aisle.
For my own part, during my visit to New York for the UN General Assembly in September, I met with representatives of the four Irish Immigration Centres in the region and a representative of the US-wide Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres.
In addition, I met with a senior State Department official and I was able to further emphasise the Government’s commitment to this issue when I travelled to Washington DC last month.
The Government’s special envoy to Congress on the undocumented, Deputy John Deasy, accompanied me on that most recent visit and together we engaged with senior members of the US administration and with members of Congress, including the Congressional Friends of Ireland Group.
Outside of my own engagement on the issue, Deputy Deasy has visited the US three times since his appointment, in July, September and October.
In addition to contact at political level, our Ambassador in Washington D.C, Dan Mulhall, hosted a roundtable discussion on 25 October on the issue with Irish community key stakeholders, including the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres.
The Government remains wholly committed to working with the US authorities to resolve the plight of the undocumented Irish, while respecting the right of the United States to set its own immigration policies.
Question No. 238 answered with Question No. 227.