Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

I exhort the Minister to continue his examination of the free travel scheme and to arrive at a conclusion quickly. During the course of a recent visit by Deputy Stagg and I we met numerous groups from Coventry, Birmingham, Luton, London, Cricklewood and so on for whom this matter and access to RTE, TG4 and TV3 were the main issues of concern raised repeatedly at our meetings with them. I ask the Minister to examine the position. Is it not the case when the French want something they appear to throw the treaty out the window? As a member of an agricultural delegation I saw this first-hand when the French Government ensured that French beef was promoted above all else.

Given the important contribution made by thousands of immigrants who sent back €4.5 billion to €5 billion in the past which led to the growth of the State and many families, this would be a gesture of recognition for them. Even if it were to cost €30 million, it is only a small proportion of the €4 billion sent back. Given the importance of this issue to Irish people and Irish emigrants, in particular, I suggest it be raised at an EU meeting. Has any advice been taken by the Attorney General on this important means of access which would be available only for a couple of weeks per year when those people come home? While most may never come home, the important issue is that it would be available to them. We in the Labour Party will continue to campaign on this issue and to raise it in the House because it is fundamentally important to give back something to those emigrants who were good to us in the past. Their generosity saved many households in Ireland. I ask the Minister to revisit the matter and to bring forward a favourable reply which would tie in with the aspiration of so many of our emigrants and the diaspora across the Irish Sea.

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