John Carty (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

As a Member representing County Mayo, a county ravaged by emigration, I welcome the McCain-Kennedy Bill. I compliment both Senators and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, in their efforts to secure legal status for undocumented Irish emigrants in the US. It would be remiss of me not to mention the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, and the not often mentioned US Senator from Nebraska, Chuck Hagel, who both did tremendous work in this area.

I have more cousins in the US than in Ireland, from Chicago to Ohio, from Philadelphia to Boston. Anywhere I go in the US, I always meet up with a cousin. On several visits to the US, I have met those young Irish people, many neighbours of mine, who are there undocumented and illegally. It is a great source of worry to them that they cannot come home to visit their parents. Recently, two individuals from my parish were deported when they attempted to re-enter the US after visiting Ireland. It was tragic that they could not even return to pick up their personal belongings. The undocumented also dread what lies ahead of them if they ever fall ill.

It is tragic they must go through this process. I welcome the proposal in the McCain-Kennedy Bill that the undocumented should not have to return to Ireland to regularise their status but should do so in the US. They have made a huge contribution to the US economy in many fields. Some even own their own businesses. They have always paid their taxes and yet they are not there on a legal basis. It is unfortunate that this situation exists. I ask Members with relatives and connections to politicians in the US to lobby them to give this Bill their full support.

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