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

I am glad the Taoiseach referred to the terrible loss of Private Seán Rooney. At a time such as this, when there is so much turbulence, loss of life and suffering in the Middle East, we want to be conscious of the Irish people and peacekeepers, the members of our Permanent Defence Force who are in that area on United Nations peacekeeping missions at present. We must also think of NGOs from Ireland that are working in difficult circumstances and have done so over many years.

I welcome the fact that the Taoiseach had a brief opportunity to discuss with President Biden the need for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and to refer to the desperate Troubles legislation that has been put through both Houses in Britain. It is an awful indictment and a step backwards with regard to trying to bring about reconciliation on our island.

As I have mentioned in this House on many occasions, I believe that in all engagements with politicians from the United States, from the President to people from state legislatures and city halls, we must always be mindful of the position of the undocumented Irish. We must continue to emphasise in all forums the need to make progress on regularising the status of the undocumented Irish. The best estimate available to the Department of Foreign Affairs is that there are fewer than 10,000 Irish people in such a position. The overwhelming majority of those people are working hard, paying their taxes and contributing to society but, unfortunately, do not have the status they need.

They do not have residency status or access to visas. I am fully conscious that it will be difficult to have comprehensive immigration reform in the present climate in the United States, but we must continue to endeavour to get a legal pathway to status for those people and other people who wish to emigrate from our country for whatever reasons to the United States.

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