Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the officials. The undocumented Irish issue has been in the mix for a long time since the Kennedy-McCain initiative. Like the peace process, all the stars and elements need to be aligned for it to work. Everything must be in the right place at the right time with the right people involved. Now is the time for this to happen but that does not necessarily mean it will be successful.

I refer the issue of those who were deported since the proposed cut-off date of 30 December 2011. Anyone who entered the US illegally after that date will not be eligible to participate in the new application process and a pathway to legal status. Is the Government seeking to ensure that those resident illegally in the US prior to that date can apply for their pathway even if they were deported? Unlike the other 12 million people who did not happen to get caught in the intervening period, will there be a process whereby those who were unfortunate enough to be caught and deported can apply for a pathway to citizenship?

The US Government has offered a future flow of visas on a number of occasions. For Ireland to secure a future flow of US visas, we need to offer a reciprocal arrangement for US citizens who want to live in Ireland who, as members will be aware, find it difficult to obtain right to residency here. What are the officials' views on that? They are dealing with the issue day in, day out. What is their sense of how this will play out? What timeline do they envisage? Could a deal be in place by Christmas?