Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. I congratulate my colleague, Deputy Ring, on introducing it. I also congratulate the Government on agreeing to accept Deputy Ring's proposal. I would like to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Kitt, about the green cards of people who have returned to Ireland. I refer to people who intend to stay here — they may have new careers here, for example. Can an agreement be reached with the US Government for the green cards of such people to be given to those who have applied for residency? Perhaps the system could be voluntary. Some people with green cards have established very good careers in Ireland and will never return to the US. As they still have their green cards, they have retained the ability to return to live in the US. I ask the Minister of State to consider this approach, under which those who have returned to Ireland could identify themselves and make their green cards available. If a system of exchange could be agreed with the US Government, those cards could be transferred to people who have applied for residency in that country. This mechanism would meet a small proportion of the need that exists among the 25,000 to 50,000 Irish immigrants who are living and working in the US without documentation.

A great deal of pain is being endured by the undocumented Irish and their families. I regularly hear from constituents of mine who are sad because their sons or daughters in the US are unable to return to Ireland to attend a family wedding, for example. It is even sadder when Irish people living in the US cannot come home for the funerals of their parents. The pain felt by the families involved, especially by the undocumented person who has to stay in the US while these events take place, is very intense. The human aspect of this issue is often lost during the debate on it. We must impress on the US Government the contribution that has been made to that country's economy by emigrants who went there from Ireland centuries ago. Some of my grandparents' siblings went to the US to contribute to the development of that country. It should be recognised that all families in Ireland have similar stories. We should remind the 40 million Irish-Americans who comprise the Irish diaspora in the US that they have a role to play as well. Irish-Americans should remind their fellow Americans of the special relationship the US has enjoyed with Ireland and the Irish people since the 18th century, well before the Famine.

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