Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the new arrangements that have been put in place between Ireland and the USA with respect to work visas or any such visas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21764/09]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to developing our bilateral migration arrangements with the United States, including finding a solution for our undocumented citizens. During their St Patrick's Day meetings in the United States, including with President Obama, the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs outlined how, in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, the Government has been actively pursuing a bilateral approach aimed at facilitating greater legal migration between the two countries. They recalled the Government's three-pronged strategy: a reciprocal working holiday agreement, a new bilateral arrangements to provide reciprocal long-term E3 working visas and a solution for our undocumented citizens in the United States.

The working holiday agreement, which the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, signed in Washington last September enables post secondary Irish and US students or recent graduates to work and travel in each country for up to a year. The provision of long-term working visas, similar to the E3 visas available to Australian citizens, has already formed the basis for detailed discussions with senior members of Congress over the past 12 months. The inclusion of Ireland in an expanded version of the E3 programme would provide extensive new opportunities for Irish people to work in the United States and help ensure that a new generation of undocumented Irish does not develop. The Taoiseach raised the issue in his St. Patrick's Day meeting with President Obama, as did the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, in his meeting with Secretary of State Clinton and discussions with Senator Charles Schumer and Congresswoman Zoë Lofgren, the respective chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives sub-committees on immigration.

Our efforts in these areas in no way dilute the Government's strong commitment to finding a solution for the undocumented, whose welfare remains a key priority. At the same time, the Government will continue to work to facilitate greater legal migration between Ireland and the United States.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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The working holiday arrangements and the bilateral efforts on the E3 visa mean absolutely nothing to the undocumented. There is no solution within those legislative frameworks for the undocumented Irish in the US. The answer of the Minister of State means nothing. There is no progress. There has been much discussion over the past five years. Can the Minister of State tell us where we are on Capital Hill and within the US Administration with regard to the undocumented, beyond the negotiations that took place two months ago on St. Patrick's Day?

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The question asked about new arrangements in place between Ireland and the United States and I outlined them.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Why did the Minister of State go on about the undocumented?

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The question referred to work visas or any such visas. The statement was comprehensive and dealt specifically with the question asked.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Roche is the Minister of State, he was the one who mentioned the E3 visa and he mentioned the undocumented people. I did not mention them. Where is this issue at?

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I have already volunteered that information.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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No, Deputy Roche did not.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I indicated there were ongoing contacts. If Deputy Deasy wishes to ask a more specific question, I suggest he knows the way to do so.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Has there been any progress on the E3 visa?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Deputy Deasy must wait to be called.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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The question refers to any such visas and the issue arises in respect of undocumented individuals in the United States unless they left the United States and applied for one of the new visas. The US Government appears to have had a change of policy. It initially prosecuted a line of dealing with all of the undocumented, including millions of Mexicans, who may progress to citizenship. It suggested a bilateral agreement would not be appropriate. Then, it announced it was following a model like the Australian bilateral agreement. The question is entirely appropriate. What is now being proposed in respect of the tens of thousands of people out of status in the United States? Is it the first model, the second model or is the Government concentrating entirely on new applicants from outside the United States, who happen to be Irish?

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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That is not the case and Deputy Higgins knows that the issue of the existing undocumented has been a key priority for a long number of years. It will continue to be and the Government will continue to press forward. Simply being concerned does not resolve it. There are two parties to this, the United States being the other. It is important to work to facilitate greater legal migration between the United States and Ireland. The difficulties that exist in the current circumstances could be resolved by moving forward on the E3 proposals, of which Deputy Deasy is as aware as I am.

It is not true to suggest that by accepting the E3 proposal we would not include the undocumented, as implied by the first supplementary contribution. That is not the case. Finding a solution for the undocumented community in the United States remains a priority but that is not to suggest that we cannot work to improve the E3 issue.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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There is a different response from the Minister and Ministers of State depending on to whom the question was directed. It has been openly expressed that the E3 visa will not accommodate all the undocumented Irish. What is the Minister of State talking about? Has any progress been made on the E3 visa issue in the past few months? Is it in draft legislation in the House Committee on the Judiciary sub-committee dealing with immigration or its equivalent in the Senate? Is it in draft legislation sponsored by the US Administration? It might be preferable if the Minister of State stood up and said there had been no progress.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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If I said that, I would not be telling the truth. Our key contacts on Capitol Hill have made it absolutely clear that it is not possible to address the undocumented through an E3 visa. We have made the point repeatedly - perhaps there is a problem with the acoustics - and the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs both raised this issue, including in meetings at the highest level over St. Patrick's weekend with President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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The Government does not want to know.