Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

That is not the case and Deputy Higgins knows that the issue of the existing undocumented has been a key priority for a long number of years. It will continue to be and the Government will continue to press forward. Simply being concerned does not resolve it. There are two parties to this, the United States being the other. It is important to work to facilitate greater legal migration between the United States and Ireland. The difficulties that exist in the current circumstances could be resolved by moving forward on the E3 proposals, of which Deputy Deasy is as aware as I am.

It is not true to suggest that by accepting the E3 proposal we would not include the undocumented, as implied by the first supplementary contribution. That is not the case. Finding a solution for the undocumented community in the United States remains a priority but that is not to suggest that we cannot work to improve the E3 issue.

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