Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 436: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made in the past three weeks regarding the illegal Irish in the USA; and the further steps he will make in the coming weeks to resolve the issue with the US authorities to the satisfaction of the Irish/American lobby groups, those in limbo in the US and their families here. [11404/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Government gives the highest priority to the welfare of the undocumented Irish in the United States, and takes every opportunity to convey to US political leaders the urgent need to address the issues involved.

The St. Patrick's Day period provided the Taoiseach and myself with a particularly valuable and timely opportunity to convey our views on this issue to key figures in the US Administration and on Capitol Hill, including President Bush, Speaker Pelosi, Senator Kennedy, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Clinton, and the Chairman of the key Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy.

During our detailed discussion on the way ahead with Senator Kennedy, we expressed deep appreciation for his continued strong leadership on this issue. The Senator is encouraging members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to revisit the positive bipartisan bill passed by that Committee last year during the life of the previous Congress.

The Taoiseach and the Minister for Agriculture also had a very useful meeting with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform in New York. As the Deputy will be aware, I maintain very close contact with this organisation, and also provide them with financial support.

We were very encouraged by Speaker Pelosi's firm declaration at the American Ireland Fund Dinner on 14 March that she will work hard to ensure that a comprehensive immigration reform bill is passed in 2007. This very positive statement was repeated to us in our private meeting with her and was warmly welcomed as a significant development by the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform. President Bush also reiterated to us his continued support for a comprehensive solution to the problems facing the US immigration system. He fully appreciates the Irish dimension to the issue and assured us of his intention to work with Congress to find a bipartisan solution in the critical period ahead.

In a further development on 22nd March, a bipartisan comprehensive bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Luis Gutierrez and Jeff Flake. I have warmly welcomed this significant advance in the debate. It is clear, at the same time, that securing the necessary bipartisan consensus on this complex and divisive matter remains a very considerable challenge.