Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste's personal interest in and continued commitment to this important issue, along with that of his officials. We have discussed the serious difficulties facing approximately 50,000 Irish people, commonly referred to as the undocumented, on numerous occasions in the House. These people need to have their status regularised as quickly as possible. Their current status makes it remarkably difficult for them and in many instances, as the Tánaiste remarked earlier, it causes hardship and heartbreak for their families at home. Following his recent visit, is the Tánaiste any more optimistic now than he was the last time we discussed this issue in the House one month ago?

See this speech in context