Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh míle maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Tá ceist fíor-tromchúiseach tagtha chun cinn le seachtain anuas maidir lenár gcuid imircigh thall sna Stáit Aontaithe agus an dream atá le díbirt amach as na Stáit Aontaithe. I am raising the issue of the undocumented Irish, particularly the case of a Donegal man who has been living in Boston without being fully documented. He also appeared on an RTE "Prime Time" programme in March. His arrest and detention has sent shockwaves through the Irish community in the United States. I visited Boston at Easter and spoke to Mayor Walsh who told us that he was concerned that if people were to be picked up on legal misdemeanours of any kind, it would be very difficult for him as mayor to intervene and try to help them in their situations. It was never expected that the immigration, the ICE as it is known, would be knocking on people's doors and taking them out of their houses. It would appear that this man will be deported to Ireland. He has been living in the United States for quite a long time and has family and commitments there. I know that the Irish community there is very concerned as to what this will mean for the rest of the community in Boston.

I congratulate Deputy Ciarán Cannon for being appointed Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for the diaspora and international development. I would appreciate if we could have a debate with the Minister for Justice and Equality or with the new Minister of State about what contacts their Departments have with the authorities in the United States, what supports are being made available to the Irish community there and what can be done to try to help alleviate this situation, which is very concerning for many Irish citizens abroad. B'fhéidir go mbeadh muid ábalta díospóireacht a bheith againn arís faoi na gnóthaí seo sula mbeidh briseadh an tsamhraidh againn.