Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael)

The issue I raise is similar to that raised by Senator Mark Daly. It concerns the immigration Bill introduced by Senator Charles Schumer in the United States Senate yesterday. It is noteworthy that the Senator has stated that if the Bill is not successful on this occasion, he will try to bring forward a Bill in next year's legislative programme. It is encouraging that the US Senate is actively taking steps to facilitate Irish citizens who want to go to work in the United States, which has been a tradition for many years. This is welcome news for Irish people working in the United States. It is also understood such a visa would be renewed on a two yearly basis, much the same as what is being done in Australia. Mr. James O'Malley, an immigration lawyer in Ireland, has stated the Irish have been accustomed to going to the United States since the Donnelly-Morrison green card lottery in the late 1980s. That legislation set a 40% quota for people who wanted to travel from 1989 to 1996. I will contact the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, in the coming days to ensure this measure is supported. We look forward to the passage of the Bill through the US Congress.

I support colleagues on this side of the House in encouraging people to buy Irish during the Christmas period. We produce 1 million turkeys and while there are many imports available, it would be a great boost to the economy if people were to buy Irish turkeys.