Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

It is important that this issue should be approached in a consistent and uniform way, irrespective of whether that is in Ireland or the US.

The Deputy referred to the legislation known as REAL ID, which was signed into law in the US on 11 May. States have three years to introduce its provisions. Since the tragedy of 11 September, immigration has been a sensitive issue in the US. This Act, which was prompted in part by the report of the 9-11 Commission, establishes minimum standards for state issued driver licences and identity cards so that they can be eligible for use as federal identification. The impact of the new legislation cannot be foreseen but it could have an impact on undocumented Irish people for whom a driving licence is their main form of identity. However, we are hopeful that proposals that offer undocumented people a path to legalisation such as those brought forward by Senators Kennedy and McCain will be adopted.

Representatives of all political parties recently attended the conference on immigration in the US where the attitude of the US was made clear, as were the efforts being made by official Ireland on behalf of our people. Representations have been made at all levels, including the meetings at Dromoland Castle last autumn and the White House on 17 March. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs raise this issue at every opportunity on behalf of our people. They will continue to do so and we hope the proposed legislation will go a long way towards resolving the problems faced by our people in the US.

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