Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this motion. I compliment my colleague, Deputy Ring, on tabling the motion and welcome the Government's decision to support an agreed motion on this very important issue. By adopting that stance, the Government will have the mandate of this House to go to America to negotiate on behalf of the 40,000 or 50,000 undocumented Irish men and women who are in the United States without status.

By adopting this agreed motion, we are changing our approach to this problem. For a significant number of years our approach has been to go to America and meet politicians from various parties. As Deputy Ring said, in the summer of 2006, Deputies Ring, Coveney, Connaughton and I went to America. At that time, all of the talk was about the McCain-Kennedy Bill. That was a serious Bill, tabled by two senior politicians, one a Republican, the other a Democrat. We had the pleasure and honour of meeting them in their offices, with other senior politicians. We came home with great hopes that this was the solution to the problem of the undocumented Irish. Unfortunately, the Bill ran into difficulties vis-À-vis American domestic politics. Parties fell out, squabbles set in and the Irish were, once again, left sitting high and dry.

This motion represents a new approach to the situation whereby we will adopt what is known as the Australian solution. Australia, on a bilateral basis, has negotiated a deal whereby 10,000 Australians are entitled to enter the United States of America annually and the same number of Americans are entitled to enter Australia.

I do not know of any other people who have contributed more to the making of America than the Irish. For two centuries, our people have been going to the United States as a destination of opportunity. They have grabbed the opportunities there and Irish people are now involved in every aspect of American life. It is no wonder that more than 40 million Americans claim to have Irish ancestors. The bonds between the two countries have developed over the centuries. I do not know of any other European country in which the Americans have invested more than in Ireland. There is probably more American investment and employment here than in any other European country. I do not know of any other country whose representatives have regular access to the highest echelons of Government in the United States. Those doors are open to us and we are seen by the United States as one of their foremost and dependable allies. No matter what they do, they know they have our goodwill and that our facilities are at their disposal.

This is a window of opportunity for us, to invoke the goodwill of America on behalf of the Irish people over there, many of whom we met last year. I will not go into their individual stories. Deputy Ring mentioned people who are not able to come home for family occasions, both joyous and sad. These people are not a burden on the American economy. Rather, America's gain is our loss. Many have settled in America, established businesses, married, had families and have a stake in the American economy, but they are living in fear and danger.

I suggest we emulate the Australians. The Australian Prime Minister, Mr. Howard went to the United States, spent two days in Washington negotiating at President to Prime Minister level and succeeded in striking a deal. That is what we must do. I believe that the only person in this House to do it is the Taoiseach and he certainly has a mandate from this House this evening. He always goes to Washington for St. Patrick's Day but I urge him to enter negotiations before then. It should be done before the end of this year. I implore the Minister of State to convey that message to the Taoiseach, to urge him to do as Deputy Ring has suggested and go to America with the sole mission of sorting out this running sore between our two countries that has been there for many years. I have absolutely no doubt that will be done given the goodwill and co-operation between us.

Many Irish parents are listening to this debate. They will be reassured there is cross-party agreement on this motion instigated by Deputy Ring. I very much welcome that because it will give them hope. The US presidential election is coming up shortly and the focus will once again be on domestic politics. If we do not grab this opportunity between now and the end of this month, or certainly the end of this year, we will lose it for many years to come until the political situation settles again.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak. The time is ripe for action. We are changing tactics and are opting for a new method, namely, the Australian one. If we go about it the right way and if we show the Americans we are serious about it at Taoiseach and President level, we will solve this long running problem.

What better gift could Members of this House give these Irish people in America — our kith and kin — than a green card as a result of this motion and negotiations which will take place? It would be a great Christmas present. I can only imagine the number of people who would come home again to their parents and relations after five to 15 years in America and the welcome they would receive. We can do something definite and positive and this motion is the instrument by which we can do so. I implore the Minister of State to adopt this motion and for the Taoiseach to make it a priority between now and the end of the year.

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