Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his reply. Did the Minister have any concerns about reports that the new President would encourage companies based abroad to pay tax at home? This might have had an impact on foreign direct investment here. Did the Irish ambassador have any role in lobbying the Administration and emphasising the importance of foreign direct investment to Ireland? Perhaps the Minister covered this in his reply, but I cannot recall. Did he use the office of the EU ambassador, John Bruton, who I understand did make representations, or at least public statements, on this issue?

While on the subject of Irish-American relations I will also ask if the Minister or the Taoiseach is going to Washington for St. Patrick's Day. Have they received invitations? Does the Minister see an opportunity in the context of the US recovery plan to raise the issue of the undocumented Irish in the US? There are several million undocumented people in the USA, including several thousand Irish people. Has the Minister raised this with the new Administration?

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