Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann, concerned at the plight of undocumented Irish people living in difficult circumstances in the United States of America:

—welcomes the high priority being given by the US President and Congress to addressing the issue of immigration reform in a way which takes account of the particular position of the undocumented, and also of the security of US borders;

—recognises in particular that the undocumented Irish are unable to return to Ireland for visits and that this imposes significant hardship on their families in Ireland, including in many cases elderly parents;

—recognises further that these people have made and continue to make a valuable contribution to the economic and social life of the United States;

—notes that there are a number of Bills before the US Congress at present which propose different means of legislating for immigration reform;

—deeply appreciates the support given by many members of Congress to efforts to resolve the difficulties facing the undocumented Irish; and

—expresses its strong support for the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act introduced on 12 May 2005 in the US Senate by Senator Edward Kennedy and Senator John McCain and in the US House of Representatives by Rep. Jim Kolbe and Rep. Jeff Flake.

I thank the House for the opportunity to propose this motion. The situation facing our undocumented community in the United States is of deep concern to the Government and to all Members of the Oireachtas. The focus which our debate gives to this marginalised group of Irish people, and to their families here at home, is timely and welcome.

Immigration reform is now a pressing priority on the domestic political agenda in the United States of America. Today's debate and all-party motion reflects this House's collective support for the comprehensive and bipartisan approach to immigration reform proposed by Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator John McCain and their colleagues in the House of Representatives. Its provisions, if enacted, would enable undocumented people, including the undocumented Irish, to participate fully in the life of their adopted home free from fear and uncertainty.

I would like to express my deep appreciation for the priority which Members of the Oireachtas have attached to this important issue. Today's debate follows from useful meetings, including with Senator McCain, which an Oireachtas delegation had recently on Capitol Hill. These contacts build on a number of other visits to Washington this year by Members of the Oireachtas. In May the Government was represented by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, at a meeting of the Irish Apostolate USA in Washington DC. Delegations from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael also attended that conference and had useful meetings with political contacts. Fr. Alan Hilliard, the director of the Irish Episcopal Commission on Emigrants, who organised the meeting, is with us in the House today. I welcome his presence and appreciate his important work and the leadership of the chairperson of the commission, Bishop Seamus Hegarty.

In June the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs visited New York and Washington DC to examine at first hand the issue of the undocumented Irish in the US. It too had useful meetings which informed it of the situation on the ground. For my part, I have raised the concerns of the Government regarding the undocumented on each of my many visits to the US during my time as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The strong engagement by colleagues in the House is welcome and, in a significant way, complements the very active representations which the Government and the embassy are making on our behalf on an ongoing basis. Members of the House also maintain close contacts with the US ambassador, James Kenny. I take this opportunity to thank him most sincerely for his helpful and open engagement with us on an issue which is of such concern to the Irish people.

Emigration is a central theme of the Irish experience. Generations of our people were all too familiar with the searing pain of separation, loss and isolation. Communities throughout this island were left stagnant as their youth sought economic opportunities elsewhere. The haemorrhaging of our young was accepted by many as the depressing norm. Fortunately, our recent economic success has reversed this trend. Figures released last month by the CSO estimate that in 2005 as many as 19,000 Irish nationals will return to Ireland, while the numbers emigrating will drop to 16,600. Many of the latter are thought to be young people taking a year off to travel before returning to work or college at home. For the first time in our history, we are creating sufficient job opportunities to employ all our citizens of working age. As a people we should take particular pride in this achievement, but we should never forget the trauma of the past nor the plight of those who remain in difficulty abroad. There is a danger that the sustained prosperity of the past decade could dim the collective memory of how painful were our recent waves of emigration.

The second half of the 20th century witnessed two periods of intense emigration. Some 400,000 people left Ireland in the 1950s and in the 1980s we suffered a further heavy outflow. As the House is aware, many of those forced to leave during the 1980s went to the USA and many of the problems this group encountered are replicated in the case of today's undocumented. Though the numbers affected today are much fewer than in the past, the individual experience of isolation and uncertainty remains the same.

While we take great satisfaction in fresh opportunities at home, we must recognise that our new prosperity brings new responsibilities. Meeting the needs of our community living abroad is one such responsibility. I assure the House that the Government is more committed than ever to representing its interests. This commitment is reflected in the establishment of new structures and the provision of significantly increased financial resources. I guarantee it is a commitment that will deepen and grow in the years ahead.

Through its engagement with Irish people abroad, the Government and social partners saw the need for a more structured and strategic approach to our emigration policy. The task force on policy regarding emigrants, which was established by my predecessor, produced a very helpful report which provides us with a framework to guide our policy in this area. We have made significant progress in advancing policies and supporting services in keeping with its recommendations. The establishment of a dedicated unit within my Department focused entirely on matters relating to our emigrants has enhanced our capacity and effectiveness in this area. It is driving forward progress on all of the important areas identified by the task force. I am determined to ensure that this progress is maintained.

Funding to groups working with our vulnerable emigrants has never been higher. It is now more than eight times greater than in 1997. In 2005 my Department's financial support for emigrant services has reached €8.273 million. This is the highest amount ever allocated and represents an increase of 63% on last year. It reflects the Government's firm determination to increase support for groups in the voluntary sector. This upward trend in financial support will continue.

While the numbers settling in the US are nowhere near as high as they once were, there are still many families and communities in Ireland where the connection with America is as strong as ever. I am also conscious that the undocumented form part of a wider Irish community in the US. Some 164,000 Irish-born people were resident there in 2000. In addition to the large number of Irish who have made their home in the US, many young Irish people spend time there on study or business visas.

As Irish and US commercial ties grow ever stronger, the traffic in both directions continues to be strong. The US is our largest source of inward investment and has been central to the growth and modernisation of Irish industry. I am happy to note this relationship is increasingly two way. Irish-owned companies in the US account for some 65,000 jobs there and there are over 200 offices in the US run by Irish exporters. We are very aware that the strategic interests of many of our companies benefit from the transfer of personnel to subsidiaries in the US.

We are also conscious that the future innovative capacity of Irish companies benefits from academic research exchanges. Our embassy in Washington is actively working with Irish agencies and the US authorities to ensure that we can maximise the opportunities that are available for such exchanges. In other words, the relationship between the US and Ireland is maturing, deepening and is bringing increased economic benefits to our two peoples.

The Government remains deeply committed to supporting efforts aimed at alleviating the plight of the undocumented Irish in the US. Comprehensive immigration reform is fast becoming a leading priority for President Bush and legislators in Congress. This increased engagement is encouraging. Over the years, we have been very fortunate to have the support and assistance of many friends in Congress. In the 1980s when the number of the Irish undocumented was much greater than today we worked closely with these friends, notably Congressmen Morrison andDonnelly. Those efforts brought very substantial benefits and largely addressed the problem at that time. We remain deeply appreciative of their support.

The fact that there is no firm figure for the current number of those undocumented tells us a lot about the nature of the problem. The undocumented stay below the radar, fearful of detection. We have heard of various estimates. A figure of 3,000 undocumented Irish people has been estimated by US authorities but this certainly seems to be a low estimate. Some in the Irish community in the US consider that the numbers could be as high as 50,000. We believe that the true figure is probably closer to 25,000.

Overall, the essential problem of the undocumented is not its size. It is the nature of being undocumented and that experience, rather than the number, that should be our focus. For the undocumented, the stress of separation, the strain and anxiety of living in the shadows and the deep sadness of being unable to return to Ireland to visit ageing parents or to attend family occasions such as weddings or funerals, remains traumatic. These people work hard. They contribute positively to their communities and to their adopted country. They rightly take pride in their achievements. They are anxious to have the opportunity to come out of the shadows and regularise their status. They deserve our support and the support of the Irish people.

Irish immigration centres in the US provide invaluable assistance to the undocumented and to other vulnerable members of our community there. This service is of particular relevance and value at this complex time of change and uncertainty. The importance of their work is recognised and deeply appreciated by the Government. During my visit to New York last month, I announced grants to the immigration centres amounting to some €750,000. This represents an increase in funding of 40% on last year and is more than double the amount that was available just two years ago.

While in New York, I convened a meeting of representatives of all the Irish immigration centres in the United States. It was the first time that such a collective meeting had taken place. I valued the opportunity to hear a first hand account of the strain which the undocumented status can place on young Irish people. Many are poorly equipped to deal with the difficult situation in which they find themselves.

The undocumented are increasingly feeling the impact of a more restrictive security climate. Tighter border security measures, greater likelihood of identity checks and difficulties securing driving licences were all put forward as examples of increased pressure on them. The centres share a concern about a perceived rise in stress related problems and substance misuse. They are responding to this by developing in-house counselling services. This is an area where they plan to increase their capacity and I have asked my officials to see what we can do to help them in this. Of course, the remit of the centres extends beyond the undocumented Irish. They are active in a wide range of areas, including working with older marginalised Irish people.

At our New York meeting, we also had a stimulating exchange of views on the prospects for immigration reform in the US. The representatives of the centres are keenly appreciative of the sensitivities in this debate and of the difficult climate for reform. They warmly welcome the engagement of the Government and Members of the Oireachtas in this matter. The Irish undocumented form a small part of a much larger number in the US, where the total undocumented population is thought to exceed 10 million. Many of these people have left homes in Mexico and further south in the Americas in search of opportunities in the US.

We all appreciate that immigration is a sensitive and a divisive issue in the US, particularly since the tragic events of 11 September 2001. Security considerations are understandably very much to the fore. The challenge facing US legislators is to secure consensus around a comprehensive set of reforms which addresses both the situation facing the undocumented and the need for increased security of borders. I am acutely aware of the complexity of this task and deeply appreciative of the high priority which President Bush attaches to it. When the Taoiseach and I met with him on St. Patrick's Day, President Bush assured us of his commitment to making progress and advancing this issue in Congress. We also welcome the commitment of many members of Congress to find a solution in a pragmatic and compassionate way. In my meetings with Senators Kennedy, McCain and other political leaders on Capitol Hill, I have been struck by the strength of their personal commitment to immigration reform.

The tabling last May of the bipartisan Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act by Senators Kennedy and McCain and Representatives Kolbe, Flake and Gutierrez represents a constructive and comprehensive response to immigration and border security concerns. The Bill, if adopted, would open a route to legality for undocumented people, including the undocumented Irish. They could regularise their status by applying for a temporary residency visa. They would receive work and travel authorisation. They could come out of the shadows and generally enjoy greater peace of mind. Significantly, they could travel to and from Ireland without fear of being refused re-entry. They would also have greater protection in the work place, and be eligible for health insurance.

A further attractive aspect of the Kennedy-McCain proposal is that it includes provision for a path to permanent residency. Holders of temporary visas could, in due course, apply for a green card once qualifying criteria are met. This would be a particularly welcome development.

We know that this comprehensive proposal will have to be examined in detail by Congress. There are other bills also to be examined, including a significant one introduced last July by Senators Kyl and Cornyn. The Kennedy-McCain Bill, as drafted, best meets the needs of our undocumented. The Kyl-Cornyn Bill differs from it in some essential respects, most significantly in not providing a path for permanent residency for the undocumented. These two bills have each been read once on the Senate floor and have been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further consideration. A preliminary committee hearing on both bills took place on 26 July and a further hearing is scheduled for later this month.

It is still too early to say how the debate within Congress may develop in the period ahead. It is clear, however, that the US Administration and Congress regard immigration as a priority area and are keen to advance the debate. Nothing, however, can be assumed or taken for granted beyond the reality that the debate in both Houses of Congress will be lengthy and lively.

I can assure the House that the Government will continue to strongly support all measures which would benefit our community in the US. In addition to our political contacts, our ambassador and diplomats in the US will remain active on this issue and meet regularly with contacts on the Hill. In this way we can ensure that our particular concerns are understood and that our strong support for the approach favoured by Senators Kennedy and McCain is given due consideration.

President Kennedy once noted that "immigrants have enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life". On tabling his bill in May, Senator Kennedy stayed with this theme, saying that the United States is a nation of immigrants and its laws must be true to that proud heritage. The Senator's pride in the US immigrant heritage is mirrored by our pride in the contribution made by generations of Irish emigrants to developments in the US. We strongly support the introduction of proposals that would allow the undocumented Irish currently in the US to continue this tradition in an open and transparent fashion. I commend this motion to the House.

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