Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent trip to New York and his meeting with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform and other groups dealing with undocumented Irish in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34485/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I very much welcome the opportunity presented by my recent visit to New York on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly to also meet with representatives of the Irish community. As the Deputy will be aware, the welfare of the undocumented Irish in the US is a matter of deep concern to the Government and one which I raise in all of my dealings with key figures there.

On 27th September, I had a very valuable meeting with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR), an organisation that very effectively represents the views of the undocumented Irish, and which the Government has been happy to support financially. I have met with representatives of ILIR on a number of occasions, both in the US and in Ireland, and know that they very much appreciate the interest of the Government and the Oireachtas in their work. During our recent meeting in New York, they provided me with an update on their campaign. We also exchanged views on developments in the immigration reform debate and on the prospects for the undocumented Irish. I reiterated to them that my efforts on behalf of the undocumented Irish will continue to be an area of the highest priority in the period ahead.

I was also happy to meet again with representatives of Irish Immigration Centres and the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres. The information and advisory services that these centres offer are of great benefit to the more vulnerable members of our community in the US, including the undocumented Irish. Earlier this year I was happy to announce grants totalling US$1.183 million to these centres, an increase of 29% on last year's funding.

In the period ahead, the Government will continue to strongly support measures that would enable the undocumented to regularise their status and have open to them a path to permanent residency. In this regard, we warmly appreciate the firm commitment to a comprehensive solution that Senator Kennedy, Senator McCain and others continue to pursue.