Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

This important debate follows an all-party motion on this issue that was agreed in this House and the Seanad in October 2005. I agree with Deputies English and Lynch that it is critical that tonight's motion be agreed by Deputies on all sides of the House. We need to send a positive message that all parties are united on this issue, even if it is something that happens infrequently.

It is important to acknowledge that many Members on all sides of the House have worked proactively on trips to the United States in support of measures which would assist the undocumented Irish. We should bear in mind that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs avail of the opportunity to make the case for the undocumented Irish every time they visit the US, particularly on St. Patrick's Day. Every time the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, has an opportunity to meet his counterpart in the US Administration and other officials in that country, he uses it to highlight this issue. Some benefits are arising from that, and some benefits have certainly arisen from the Taoiseach's active involvement in pursuing the same case.

It is fair to commend the engagement by people on all sides of the House in this matter. I refer in particular to the willingness of Deputies to travel to Washington, New York, Boston and various other places to support the undocumented Irish by meeting them, giving them practical support and making their case at Congress level. Many previous speakers acknowledged the work of the representatives of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, whom I have met. Mr. Niall O'Dowd of the Irish Voice has quite rightly been singled out for his capacity to access the Irish community in the US. He has been quite forceful in driving this movement forward.

I acknowledge the work of the Irish abroad unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which gives practical and financial assistance to Irish citizens in many countries. I have worked with officials from the unit on many occasions. They have made a tremendous difference to the quality of support that is available to the undocumented Irish abroad. The Irish Embassy and consulates in the United States have been hugely proactive in advancing this case. We should also acknowledge the work of the Catholic Church and other churches in supporting undocumented people from Ireland and other countries in a practical way and engaging politically to advance this campaign.

Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain have been to the fore in advancing this cause at Congress level. They have done tremendous work. Some people who are not as politically active as they used to be, such as the former Congressman Bruce Morrison, have also played a hugely important role. I appreciate the advice we have received from such people when we have visited the US on various occasions. When the current governor of New York State, Mr. Eliot Spitzer, visited Ireland two years ago, I hosted part of that visit and spoke with him. I am pleased with his initiative in New York State, which benefits many people. It is clear that his work on driving licences benefits many Irish citizens. I was pleased to meet Mr. Spitzer again last week in Lisbon, when we signed the International Carbon Action Partnership.

Like my colleagues on all sides of the House, I have travelled to Washington and other US cities to support this campaign. I was the Government's representative on a campaign organised by the US apostolic ministry. It was encouraging and instructive. I learned about the difficulties people have to address and the action that can be taken to support them. Along with FÁS, I hosted a jobs event in New York last year. I found it extraordinary that so many US citizens, some of Irish descent but many with no connection to this country, were interested in getting information about jobs in Ireland and eventually coming to work here. The idea of some kind of bilateral arrangement was mooted at that time. I was strongly advised at the time that positive moves on Capitol Hill should be supported and seen as the first step in terms of general immigration reform. I believe that was the correct strategy at the time.

Deputy English argued that it is important to give people an accurate picture of how immigration is evolving in the United States. It is notoriously difficult to do that, however, because the immigration picture can change quite quickly and radically. While that was the correct strategy at one time, it now serves as an illustration of how difficult it can be to bring immigration reform to a successful conclusion.

No level of agreement has been reached on the number of undocumented Irish in the US. The authorities in that country seem to believe there are just 3,000 undocumented Irish there, but many of those involved in this campaign think there are more than 50,000 undocumented Irish in America. Figures released by the Department of Foreign Affairs suggest that there are approximately 25,000 undocumented Irish in the United States. While they comprise a substantial group of Irish people, they should be considered in the context of the 11 million undocumented people who are living in the US.

It is hardly surprising that the US Administration and the citizens of that country have particular sensitivities in this respect as a consequence of the events of 11 September 2001. We need to accept that certain sectors of US society strongly believe that the introduction of legislation to legalise undocumented immigrants would serve to reward those who have broken the laws of that country. That is one of the big difficulties to be overcome by this campaign and other campaigns aimed at improving the lot of undocumented people in the US.

Some people believe that the US Administration's visa arrangements with the Governments of Australia, Chile and Singapore afford a level of protection to undocumented people from those countries. That is not the case, sadly. The arrangements allow a set number of people to work on short-term work visas in the United States, but they do not in any way address the difficulties faced by the undocumented citizens of such states. That would not be a suitable route for Ireland to follow. While it would offer hope to Irish people who would like to work in the US in the future, it would not address the central issues of those who are currently in the US without documentation.

It is no wonder that there is a substantial number of Irish people in the US. It would be surprising if that were not the case. It is not that long since over 40,000 people were leaving this country every year. It was inevitable that some of them would put down roots, marry and have reason to stay in the US. They were unable to avail of the job opportunities which became available in Ireland in more recent years. It was a huge turn-around that a Government delegation had to go to America to encourage US citizens and Irish people who had emigrated to come to Ireland to take up work opportunities here. It was wonderful to see hundreds of educated, energetic and idealistic young people at a graduation ceremony in Galway earlier today who can remain in Ireland if they wish to do so. The vast majority of their counterparts 15 years ago would have had to emigrate.

It is also important to examine the political background to this issue. There is a long history of political and social connections between Ireland and the US. Approximately 36 million US citizens claim to be of Irish descent. We sometimes make good use of the Irish lobby in the US, which is hugely important there. We have to continue to make as good use as possible of the Irish lobby there.

When one is forced by circumstances to examine the technical difficulties and obstacles one is trying to address, it is important not to forget the reality of family life for the undocumented Irish in the US and their families back in Ireland. Many of the people we are discussing have elderly parents who are not well enough to travel to the US to visit them, although they could do so quite legally. It is a fact the undocumented Irish cannot return here for weddings and funerals and all kinds of family events which in Irish society, family members would normally be expected to attend. This is the nub of the difficulty and the human face of what could be regarded in bureaucratic and legislative terms. It is a real problem for families from all parts of the country, many of whom are from the west, who are living in the United States.

The diversity visa lottery programme accommodates a certain number of people each year and a significant number of American citizens work for Irish companies. Deputy Lynch succinctly illustrated our own difficulties when trying to deal with people who have come to this country which gives us an insight into the perspective of the US authorities as they see 11 million people who are undocumented in their country.

I am grateful to Deputies on all sides of the House for the all-party agreement on this motion as was the case in 2005. Everybody is determined to play a proactive role in trying to ensure a positive outcome for the undocumented Irish in the US.

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