John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 264: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts he has made in respect of undocumented Irish in the USA; his recent contacts in the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17637/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government continues to attach the highest importance to resolving the plight of our undocumented citizens in the United States. The former Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern T.D, strongly emphasised this commitment during his address to the US Congress on 30 April.

During the visit of the former Taoiseach to Washington, my predecessor, Mr Dermot Ahern T.D., participated in his meetings with President Bush, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Edward Kennedy. On 1 May, Minister Ahern had a further series of meetings with key Congressional and Administration figures to press the case for finding a solution for our undocumented. Among those he met were: Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the House Sub-Committee on Immigration; Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee; Congressman Jim Walsh and Ms Paula Dobriansky, Under-Secretary of State and Special Envoy to Northern Ireland.

My predecessor also had a constructive and forward looking meeting with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, with both sides determined to continue to work closely together on this important issue.

Following the failure of the US Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation last June, despite the strong endorsement and encouragement of President Bush, the Government immediately set about exploring with key US Administration and Congressional contacts possible alternative options.

However, achieving progress on immigration reform at this time, in the middle of a Presidential campaign, is exceptionally difficult. The political reality in the United States is that immigration has become a divisive political issue. Our many friends in Congress have emphasised this, including the difficulty of passing legislation specifically for our citizens separate from the other 12 million undocumented.

Despite these considerable political challenges, the Government will continue to press for change. We will work closely with our friends in Congress, with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, and with the many organisations who have worked hard on behalf of the undocumented in the Irish community, with a view to trying to find a way forward which would remedy the very difficult situation in which our undocumented find themselves.