Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, to the House.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. The plight of undocumented Irish people living in America has been ongoing for many years. Many of them feel isolated and, indeed, forgotten.Many of them have been unable to come home for years. They have missed out on significant family events and milestones such as births, deaths and weddings. Their main fear is not about returning to Ireland but of not being allowed back into the USA, where many have worked for decades. The pandemic has added another barrier for parents wishing to travel to America to see their children. Many undocumented Irish people turned to immigration centres and NGOs in order to survive. Online communication through social media is no replacement for physical contact, especially with one's nearest and dearest. Fears of deportation limit the use of social services, access to the legal system and full integration into local communities.

It is important to note the contribution that undocumented Irish emigrants have made to the US economy. In many instances they pay their taxes and contribute to local organisations. They are builders, carpenters, manual labourers and they work in many different areas. They have helped to build America and continue to do so. In 1990 the Donnelly programme allowed over 10,000 people to avail of a visa to live and work in the USA in the first year after the Bill was enacted. From 1992 to 1994, 16,000 of 50,000 Morrison visas were set aside for Irish people each year. These programmes are evidence of what can be achieved. Unfortunately, however, those programmes were more than 30 years ago.

The issue of Irish emigration to the USA, particularly the status of undocumented Irish, has been a priority for successive Irish Governments. Emigration issues have been raised on an ongoing basis with the US Administration. Most recently in October 2021, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, said that the situation of undocumented Irish immigrants in the USA and working to secure legal pathways for Irish people wishing to live and work in the USA had been priority issues for successive Governments and continued to be key priorities for the current Government. I have spoken to many who ask what people can expect to see done differently on this issue. We now find ourselves with a unique opportunity because the current US Administration has a strong Irish-American influence and has control over the White House, Congress and the Senate. This presents a unique opportunity for Irish political representatives to develop a strategy to exert whatever influence they can on the US Administration to get this issue over the line once and for all.

It should be noted that Irish heritage is strong in America, with more than 31.5 million residents claiming Irish ancestry, which is almost one in ten people. The same talking points come up year after year but nothing seems to happen. There are no exact figures for the number of illegal Irish in the USA but estimates range from 10,000 to 15,000, although many would claim the number is much greater. As I said, with President Biden in the White House, who is very proud of his Irish ancestry and refers to it at every opportunity, we now have a unique opportunity to put this issue to bed for once and for all. I ask the Government to redouble its efforts and to avail of this unique opportunity so that those people who have been hiding while trying to find a solution to this issue for years will finally find one.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. Addressing the situation of undocumented Irish immigrants in the USA and working to secure legal pathways for those wishing to regularise their status has been, as the Senator rightly pointed out, a priority issue for successive Governments and continues to be a priority for the current Government. Emigration matters continue to be raised by senior members of the Government at every opportunity and will be a key issue raised during the upcoming series of St. Patrick's Day engagements, not least by the Taoiseach with President Biden. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, has also raised the matter of the Irish undocumented on a number of occasions, including in high-level meetings during his most recent visit to Washington DC. The Government continues to seek opportunities to deepen and strengthen Ireland's bilateral relationship with the US Administration under President Biden and members of Congress, particularly on a bipartisan basis. The promotion of solutions to the undocumented Irish in the US is a key part of that relationship. The Department of Foreign Affairs, through our embassy in Washington DC, continues to prioritise immigration issues and to develop immigration pathways for our citizens through active engagement with the US Administration and political leaders at all levels. We seek opportunities to deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations with President Biden's Administration.

We are pleased to see that immigration issues, including possible pathways to citizenship, are a priority for President Biden as demonstrated by his proposal in the US Citizenship Act of 2021. The Government looks forward to working with his Administration, as well as with the US Congress, on a bipartisan basis as they pursue comprehensive immigration reform in the US.

Through our embassy in Washington, as well as our seven consulates general across the US, the Government works closely with Irish immigration centres that provide support and information to our citizens, including the undocumented. Many of these groups, including the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers, receive significant annual funding through the Government's emigrant support programme.

In response to the pandemic, a dedicated Covid-19 response fund was also set up for Irish communities to help these organisations meet the needs of those who are particularly vulnerable, including the undocumented Irish in the US. In 2021, over €4.22 million was paid to diaspora organisations in the US from the emigrant support programme and Covid-related projects and support thereof.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. As I outlined, it is heartbreaking to hear the stories, as I am sure he has, of the undocumented people living in the US. Someone who went to the US 30 years ago at the age of 20 will be 50 today yet there is still no sign of progress on this issue. I reiterate that this is a unique opportunity for the Irish Government to make inroads on this issue and to put it to bed once and for all. We have a friend in the White House in the form of President Biden and we cannot let this opportunity slip. I ask that the Government redouble its efforts to ensure we find a solution to this long-running problem while he is in office.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I share the Senator's view that there is an opportunity. As I said, we are absolutely committed to working on this issue at every single level. It is an issue that I have worked on, as has the Minister and the Taoiseach. It is a very important issue and we will use the opportunity of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day events to continue that engagement. Thankfully, there is a willingness in the current Congress and President Biden's Administration to look at immigration reform. There is an absolute determination in the Government to use every opportunity to see what can be achieved for the undocumented from that willingness. I thank the Senator again for raising the matter.