Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I will try to keep the US President out of GAA politics. Deputy Ó Caoláin raised several matters. These are substantive meetings and any suggestion to the contrary is rather ungracious. The Deputy's party has been a beneficiary of the process for a long time and, but for the fact that Irish Governments were able to get into such places, his party members might not have been able to make the visits they have made in recent times. The Government has had an excellent relationship with all US Administrations and these have brought real and direct benefits. They have been instrumental in insuring that political developments can take place. That level of engagement continues. I have no reason to doubt that President Obama will not be seized by some of these issues given his very wide and burdensome duties and obligations. There is no doubt that Ireland has enjoyed a level of interest from successive Administrations, indicative of the very close ties of kinship we have enjoyed with that country over many years.

The question of the undocumented is one that must be handled appropriately and in a way that might achieve progress for us. It is easy, as the Deputy might claim, to ratchet up pressure. Ratcheting up presure is not in itself the issue. There are many people of goodwill in the Houses of Congress who will be supportive in the right circumstances. Those circumstances have yet to be created because there are many countries with a diaspora and there are, therefore, many people of different origins who also have this problem. It has caused very serious domestic difficulty for many in Congress, and in the context of political debate over many years.

Rather than believing we must go in and start twisting arms all over the place, what we must do is build on the goodwill we have generated on this issue. We must be respectful of the fact that it is a difficult domestic question for the United States. It is one on which we are prepared to engage with that country, find incremental improvements, and try to deal with this issue. That means being mindful of the difficulties it creates rather than believing there is an entitlement we can expect. The approach must be sensible and sensitive to the domestic realities for both parties represented.

That, in no way, is to suggest we are not very determined to assist those who find themselves in this difficulty. As constituency Deputies we know of many who hold this status who wish to have it rectified as soon as possible. Their position denies them return to their own country and their loved ones. They miss many important occasions in family life, whether weddings, bereavements or suchlike, quite apart from the fact they cannot come home and socialise in their own country. This is a very human issue and is one with which I am especially acquainted. I wish to address it but I must approach it, as we all must, on the basis there are people who can and will assist, given the right circumstances. It is our job to try to create those circumstances and not to make an approach that would detract from establishing sufficient goodwill to make a decision possible.

There is no relenting by this Administration. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, has been assiduous in the conduct of his duties in this regard, given the high priority it is accorded in his Department, apart from the important aspect of our bilateral relationship it represents as an outstanding item to be resolved. On the basis that Guantanamo Bay is closing, I do not see the purpose of an inspection regime.

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