Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In any event, I believe this is going to be problematic, particularly for a country like Ireland. The nature of our traditional connection 50 or 60 years ago and before was that people left and never came back. This has changed now. I firmly believe that the J1 system has been important in keeping that connection alive in the modern sense with young people in university and throughout the country working in America for the summer and so on. It keeps the connections between our countries very much alive currently and for the future. If that is going to be reduced seriously then it could cause real problems for relationships in the time ahead.

I believe everyone in the House has the same view on the matter. We are keen to have a streamlined, effective strategy. However, this requires political will and acceptance. Unfortunately, because of the situation that applies between the US Congress and Senate, these are not in place at the moment. Some members of the US Republican and Democratic parties are willing to work on these things to try to get the numbers and tag the facility on to an existing Bill that will go through towards the end of this session. That is what is needed.

When I was out there last year, the idea was being put forward very strongly that the best time to introduce either an Irish immigration element or major immigration reform would be at the start of the approaching session, that is to say, in September or October last year, but that did not happen. Now, things are moving on in the United States and they are campaigning with different party credentials for candidacy and I imagine it will be difficult. Anyway, I will certainly work with all Members and through our ambassador and consulates in constantly contacting the personnel there about E3 visas and an element of immigration reform in the absence of overall immigration reform. Certainly I am not keen on a situation where there would be an abrupt ending to the J1 system as we know it through the dramatic introduction of a requirement for pre-employment. Independent authorities grant these visas. If that is being considered by them, and it is, then there should be a transition period during which young Irish people would be able to go to many different places in the United States and not only be congregated in one or two locations, which has its own implications.

This is a serious matter and something I am prepared to talk to the US ambassador about. I have discussed with him previously the three-year bar and ten-year bar and I will follow up on the point Deputy Naughten raised. Through the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and everyone else, we should keep in contact with the ambassador, the consulates and American political representatives. Unfortunately, I believe deep down that we are not going to have major immigration reform now. If the Sensenbrenner initiative works or the efforts being made now by our ambassador, H.E. Ms Anderson, come to fruition and give a few extra visas that are in the system but not allocated to Ireland, that may be of interest to us as well.

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