Mr. Michael McMahon:

I thank the committee for having us today. Mr. Staunton has covered much of the ground.

Living in Donegal, we are certainly very worried about our families in the US. The problem arising is that, for a number of years, the families were fit to go to see their children over there. Now they are becoming too old or do not have the money. People's health and well-being is a cause for concern, which would be very important on both sides of the Atlantic. The families over there are certainly worried about the talk from President Trump. We would be disappointed with the inactivity of successive Governments. That is what the families say to me, and I am in constant direct contact with the families. I would not say, as Mr. Staunton has said, that Governments do not care. I believe that they do, but they have not really shown that care and that is where the problem arises. I have, as Senator Ó Clochartaigh would be well aware, been here on several occasions talking to Deputies and Senators. I ask them to do different things and to get back to us, but that has never happened.

There was a waiver scheme, and we were very disappointed that other countries got thousands of waivers while we, for some unknown reason, got none. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can play a bigger role in the waiver. Even if they people got home once to see their parents, their families, their towns and villages and their home areas, they would be satisfied. One has to recognise that a majority have their own business in America whether in the contracting business, the bar business, the hotel business or whatever the case may be. They all work very hard. They are very good to their communities and to try to uproot them and bring them back to this country that does not seem to have anything for them is unfair. Children are going to national school and to second level school, and one would be interfering with the whole education situation. We are disappointed that with the waiver scheme that was there, nobody came to Ireland. We are in a very difficult and serious situation, and I ask again that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade look into the waiver scheme. I know that the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, is an honourable family man and I think he understands the plight of the undocumented. We also set up several all-party committees and nothing ever really came out of that.

We say that the Taoiseach should and must go to Washington DC on St. Patrick's Day, but we want to know exactly what he is going to say and how strong he will be against the administration over there. I do not have a problem with other Deputies and Senators who go over there. People, my family and other families are saying that they do not want them coming over, getting photographs and all that, and then going back and forgetting about us for another 12 months. That should not happen. We are in a very serious situation given that some families have not been home in over 20 years. Senator Conway-Walsh said "out of sight, out of mind". I believe that is what has happened with politicians. We are not here to ridicule politicians of any political persuasion, because they all have a part to play.

It is now time that they stood up and were counted. The present Administration in Dublin should stand up to the US Administration and tell it exactly how they feel and what we need. There are only 50,000 undocumented Irish in America but that is a lot of people for the island of Ireland. The situation is serious because the families in America and their parents here are getting older. We want action taken and progress made. Politicians should not play politics with this issue but do something over there, tell us what they have done and declare who they have and have not met. For a number of years there has been a lack of information. We would have been worse off if we did not have Mr. Staunton in America. I take this opportunity to thank him for his work and for his presentation here today. I thank the committee for inviting our deputation here today.