Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, Mr. Burgess. We will deal first with the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States. I understand that the amendments to the Senate Bill to which Mr. Burgess referred are being published today and will be discussed tomorrow by Senator Patrick Leahy's committee. It is also my understanding that the House of Representatives intends to publish a Bill on the issue. These efforts represent the last hope for the undocumented Irish in the United States. How confident are Ambassador Collins and his team in Washington that the Democrats and Republicans will reach an agreement on legislative proposals in both the Senate and the House of Representatives?

I now invite questions from members, beginning with Deputy Brendan Smith.