Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The embassy is very seized of this issue as is our ambassador in the US. I favour the approach of our diplomatic network in the US pursuing this issue and not having two strands of approach. I do not want to personalise this but when we appoint people as ambassadors to the US it is experienced high-calibre diplomats who end up in Washington. Over the years they have cultivated strong relationships with both sides on the Hill. This is continuing. When I was last there in February, we concluded an agreement to extend the working holiday visa. I discussed with former Governor and now Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and others that ideally we have to deal with the undocumented and try to get legislation passed to facilitate them. I have met undocumented people and they are in a very worrying and sad situation. They cannot get back home to family, including to ageing parents or family members who might be sick. It is a very distressing and traumatic experience for many undocumented in the United States. We are very conscious of this and of creating new legal channels between Ireland and the United States for people.

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