Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, in addition to his parliamentary question on the subject today. I also thank him for his generous comments on the Taoiseach's recent visit to the United States.

Addressing the position of the undocumented Irish and reforming our migration arrangements with the United States remain important priorities for the Government in its relationship with the US Administration and Congress. Enabling Irish people to apply for E-3 temporary US work visas has been a particular focus of our efforts in our ongoing exchanges on immigration related issues. E-3 visas are two year renewable non-immigrant worker visas and currently available to Australian nationals in possession of a third level qualification. The proposals under discussion, if passed by Congress, would allow Irish nationals to apply annually for up to 10,500 E-3 visas which would be valid for two years and could be renewed. The eligibility criteria for these visas are the subject of detailed discussions in the US Congress. The benefits that would derive from E-3 visas could be expected to arise for future potential Irish emigrants to the United States rather than the undocumented Irish directly, although there may be scope for at least some in the latter category to apply for such visas. The Deputy can be assured that the Government, including the Irish Embassy in Washington, is extremely proactive in pursuit of this goal.

As Deputies will be aware, the Taoiseach is today returning from a series of St. Patrick's Day engagements in Washington, Chicago and New York. In addition to promoting our economic and business agenda, he discussed progress on the proposed E-3 visas during his high level meetings with the Administration and Congress.

The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste discussed immigration issues with President Obama when they met him on 23 May last year in Dublin and the Tánaiste also did so in separate exchanges during the course of 2011 with Secretary of State Clinton and Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

During the Tánaiste's recent visits to Washington DC and New York he reviewed progress on E-3 visa issues during further separate contacts with Deputy Secretary Bill Burns of the US State Department and also with Senators Leahy, Scott Brown and Charles Schumer and members of the Friends of Ireland group at House of Representatives level. He also discussed the issue in detail with the congressional delegation led by leader Ms Nancy Pelosi during its visit to Dublin on 12 March.

Senators Schumer, Leahy and Durbin, as well as Senators Brown and Kirk, previously tabled draft Bills which would enable the provision of E-3 visas for Irish applicants. Both Bills have since been referred for examination by the US Senate's Judiciary Committee. In all our exchanges with them the Government thanked the Senators for their ongoing efforts in this regard and encouraged them to persist towards reaching a positive outcome. They have also been assured of the Government's continuing close interest and support in this connection which we are exercising through the Irish Embassy in Washington. In turn, the Irish Embassy is working in tandem with key stakeholder groups from throughout the Irish-American community. During his visits to the United States in February the Taoiseach met representatives from several of these groups, including the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform and the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres. He acknowledged and thanked all of them and others from within the Irish-American community for their vital help in rallying support for our collective efforts.

I am heartened by the advances made so far towards enabling Irish people to apply for E-3 visas. However, the Government is very conscious that the current US domestic political climate around immigration issues and the presidential elections taking place there later this year mean that passing any immigration related legislation will present very significant challenges.

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