Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, to the House to discuss the implications of apparent and obvious changes in American policy relating to immigration and trade. Last week the Ornua chairman, Aaron Forde, pointed out that already five Ornua graduates have been refused visas to enter the US and two staff in the US were initially refused a renewal of their visas, although I understand that has been sorted out. That is notwithstanding 30 years of operating in the US, marketing Irish dairy products. Its success is shown by the 20,000 tonnes of Irish cheese and butter sold in the US, with Kerrygold the flagship company there. This obviously has serious implications, not just for Ornua.

In addition, we heard the bad news of job losses Leixlip. Some 150,000 people here work for US multinationals and 250,000 people work in Irish companies in the US. We also have the issue of the 50,000 undocumented Irish in the US. Many of us might not agree with the approach of the current US President in putting America first, in terms of making the country safer and his attitude to Muslims in particular. We are seeing fallout in the tightening of regulations affecting Irish people who have obviously a track record there and in respect of whom there should not be a question about getting visas.

There are issues relating to trade - America requires trade as do we - and relating to the illegal immigrants. When one talks about making America great, if these people were not in America, how great would it be? It seems that many people living there do not want to do those particular jobs. It is now more important than ever that the Taoiseach should meet President Trump and have a conversation in the real world and keep communications open. In the meantime I would welcome a debate here grounded in the reality that it is facing Irish companies, Irish citizens and our undocumented over the fallout from the changes that are apparent in the new Administration there. That would be a more constructive debate for this Chamber to have rather than some of the side jabs that are being made.