Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the proposed Real ID Act in the United States will lead to the deportation of undocumented Irish emigrants living in the United States before they have an opportunity to achieve legal status; if he has had discussions with US authorities on the Real ID Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18500/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Real ID Act was passed unanimously by the US Senate on 10 May 2005 and was signed into law by President Bush the following day. Among its provisions, the Real ID Act establishes minimum standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identity cards in order that they be eligible for use as federal identification. People applying for, or seeking renewal of, driver's licenses and official identity cards will need to prove their legal presence in the United States by showing official documentation such as proof of citizenship, a valid visa, or a pending application for asylum or protected status. Under the Act, states are required to introduce the necessary legislation over the next three years.

The Act was prompted in part by the report of the 9/11 Commission, which was set up in the US in response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, and which recommended that standards be set for the issuance of birth certificates and sources of identification, such as driver's licenses. As the Deputy may be aware, the regulations for issuing driver's licenses vary from state to state, allowing undocumented people in some states to obtain driver's licenses, which are widely-accepted in the US as a means of identification.

The impact of the new legislation cannot be foreseen at this time but clearly it could have an impact on numbers of undocumented Irish people for whom the driving licence is their main form of identity. Furthermore, it is likely to present difficulties for undocumented people who work in sectors of the economy, such as construction or home help, where the necessity to drive and possession of a driver's license are vital.

On the broader front, there has been some positive progress on immigration reform. In a significant development on 12 May, Senators McCain and Kennedy, in co-operation with several of their colleagues in the House, published a Bill which would grant undocumented people an opportunity to regularise their status. I welcome this important, timely and very positive contribution to advancing the debate on this sensitive issue.

The Deputy can be assured that the issues of our undocumented citizens and immigration reform have the highest priority for the Government. The Taoiseach and I raised the issue of the undocumented, as well as the issue of wider immigration reform, with President Bush when we met with him on St. Patrick's Day, and also on the Hill at that time. President Bush re-affirmed his commitment to work with Congress on immigration reform. The Taoiseach and I very much welcomed this commitment and emphasised the importance of addressing the situation of the undocumented in a positive and sympathetic way. Our priority in the period ahead will be to lobby strongly in support of the Kennedy-McCain Bill and to encourage the White House to become actively involved in the immigration reform process.