Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Considerable efforts are being made to speak to Senators and Representatives to ensure we widen the number of individuals to whom we talk beyond those Senators and Representatives who have provided very welcome support for Ireland and Irish causes in the past. I met Senator John McCain during my visit and spoke to him on the telephone some time ago. I spoke to Representative Jim Sensenbrenner who has an interest in the immigration issue. I engaged in discussions with Representative Paul Ryan who was the Republican Party candidate for the position of Vice President in the recent election. We are widening the number of individuals to whom we are talking and emphasising that we are talking to people on the Republican as well as the Democratic side.

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