Paul Bradford (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader request the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to come to the House to discuss his ongoing efforts to assist the undocumented Irish in the United States? It is appropriate that the Government would renew its efforts because the political map of the United States changed very significantly last night due to a significant swing to the Republican Party, which means the Obama Presidency has come to an absolute end. President Obama has been completely neutralised and, therefore, political initiatives will come from the other side of the House.

It is also important that we all reflect on the fact that tens of millions of Irish Americans voted for the Republican Party last night and yesterday, as they have done so for many years. We have a dewy-eyed vision in Irish politics sometimes that Irish America means the Democratic Party. Irish Americans think differently from the way we expect them to, however, and they vote in large numbers for the Republican Party. We must recognise that fact and build strong links with that party which is now the dominant party in the United States.

The immigration issue has been a significant problem for the past 25 years. The Kennedy Bill has been mentioned but a former US presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, was the man who pushed most strongly for the entitlement of Irish people to remain in the United States. Now we must renew our efforts, especially with the new US House of Representatives and Senate. I ask for the Minister to come to the Seanad to give an account of what the Government is doing. We must reflect seriously on the fact that the politics of the United States and of Irish America is significantly different from what some in this country wish it to be. We should acknowledge the new thinking among the Irish community in the United States.