Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I have spoken recently to the Irish Ambassador to the United States about these matters. He mentioned them to me and what is the congressional view on them. Unfortunately, it is not an issue at the top of the domestic agenda in the United States, for obvious reasons. However, it is one in which I know the President has a personal interest. We will seek to obtain from him what the present position is and what he sees as the realistic political prospects for any advance on the issue, but the Deputy will be aware that this matter will not be dealt with in terms of any particular diaspora. It is a general immigration issue and a very difficult domestic political issue, but one into which we must inquire about the prospects of any further progress this year. We have to respect that, work with the authorities and recognise what the realistic prospects are in terms of where it fits into their own agenda.

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