Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Keeping the issue of the undocumented Irish at the top of the agenda is a priority for me and my party. Vice President Biden will be visiting this country shortly and every opportunity should be taken to raise the plight of the undocumented Irish, which is put at 50,000, although I think the number is significantly higher. We are all aware of what living undocumented means for a person and their family in terms of the restriction of travel and the unlawful presence bars introduced by US. A person who is regarded as having overstayed and who has left the US can be barred from returning for a period of between three and ten years. These elements need to be worked on. I ask the Government to outline a programme with regarding to a schedule of meetings. The St. Patrick's Day meetings and St. Patrick's week are important but from feedback I have received in the past, such engagement needs to be a constant.

I ask the Minister to bear that in mind and to use the visit of Vice President Biden to raise this matter again.

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