Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Can I pick up on the Taoiseach's comment that there is unlikely to be progress on comprehensive immigration reform this side of the US presidential election, particularly with regard to some of the commentary we have seen from candidates? We all want to acknowledge the executive action that has been taken by President Obama, but is there an opportunity for some form of an immigration Bill to be introduced before John Boehner departs as Speaker of the House in the next month? Has the Taoiseach any indication on that? I know the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, met Congressman Sensenbrenner and he intends to bring forward legislation on E3 visas which would allow people to emigrate from Ireland to live and work in the United States and access visas, amounting to approximately 10,000 per annum. Can progress be made on that? I ask that question because if we cannot make progress on a comprehensive solution in the United States, can we look at specific solutions, such as the E3 visa, that can address specific problems faced by the Irish? To make it a success, however, we need to be able to ensure young people who are stuck in the United States can come back to Ireland, avail of that E3 visa, and return to the US.

Is the Taoiseach aware that the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform is saying that while about one third of people undocumented in the US could avail of existing visas available through the Irish embassy here, because of the three and ten-year bars that are in place for someone resident and undocumented in the United States, they cannot come back to Ireland to avail of that? Mexico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic have been very successful in using that as a mechanism to deal with their undocumented issue.

The issue is being raised consistently and I received a leaflet again today to the effect that the Irish Government has not sought that visa from Ambassador O'Malley in the Phoenix Park. While a request has been written by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there has not been a formal request from the Taoiseach or the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the introduction of this executive waiver which would unlock a problem for about one third of the undocumented in the United States.

I do not know the ins and outs of this but I would like the Taoiseach to clarify that for me because it is being circulated widely that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs are not prepared personally to seek this executive waiver. If they did, it would be made available to undocumented Irish in the United States and could allow a significant number of those to come back to Ireland to avail of a visa to go back into the US. Clarity on that issue is needed. I hope we will see some progress by John Boehner on the issue, even in the current short window, because every opportunity needs to be taken to see if we can push that along.

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