John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)

I commend my colleague, Deputy Ring, on tabling the motion. He has raised this issue for years and has been very consistent on it. Only a few short years ago, there was a debate about whether this was an important enough issue but that has been conclusively answered. It is an enormous issue for Irish communities in the US and it does not matter how many are involved. There are enough involved for us to take the issue extremely seriously. The question is how seriously are the Government parties taking it. They have been active on it but they have been unsuccessful, although that is not entirely their own fault. This is a complex problem, which depends a great deal on the consequences and outcomes for people of other nationalities. It involves issues that the Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish ambassador to the US in Washington and his staff cannot control.

However, a key calculation and determination needs to be made in this regard. Does the State leave the issue to chance or does it launch an effective lobbying effort to bring about legislative change for the illegal Irish? That means more than the odd meeting or the odd delegation to Washington or visits on St. Patrick's Day. Such an effort should constitute regular contacts between members of the US Senate and House of Representatives and a small number of Oireachtas Members with a specific task to lobby over a number of years. A plan that involves Members of both sides meeting a long-term target is needed, otherwise we are wasting our time. The bilateral arrangement will not resolve this issue and I differ from my colleagues on this. This is not only about the Taoiseach, it is also about Members having face time with the right people on the appropriate committees of the Senate and House of Representatives over a few years, if necessary. That is the only way to find a conclusive solution to this problem. Even then, the task will be extremely difficult but the Government needs to make that decision. A comprehensive lobbying effort involving Deputies from both sides of the House might have some chance, but it needs to be focused and bipartisan.

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