Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the work being carried out seeking to regularise the position of undocumented persons in the United States of America; if there is the prospect of an imminent breakthrough in this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26911/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government attaches the highest importance to resolving the plight of our undocumented citizens in the United States. We have emphasised our strong support for the undocumented in all our engagements with the US Administration and Congress, including during meetings with President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton in Washington this March. Earlier this week, the Taoiseach and I discussed the issue in meetings with leading Congressional figures, including several key proponents of comprehensive immigration reform.

As the Deputy is aware, in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, the Government has been actively pursuing a bilateral approach, aimed at facilitating greater legal migration between the two countries. The approach has had three core objectives: a reciprocal Working Holiday Agreement (now operational); new bilateral arrangements to provide reciprocal long term E3 working visas; and a solution for our undocumented.

While the inclusion of Ireland in an expanded version of the E3 programme would provide extensive new opportunities for Irish people to work in the United States and help ensure that a new generation of undocumented Irish does not develop, our friends on Capitol Hill have been clear that the status of the undocumented Irish cannot be addressed in isolation from other ethnic groups, including by way of an E3. Their advice is that the best prospect for a solution for the undocumented continues to lie with comprehensive immigration reform.

On 25 June, President Obama met with a range of key Congressional figures, including supporters and opponents of reform, to discuss this issue and identify how to begin fixing what he has described as a broken immigration system. His statement following the meeting that his 'Administration is fully behind an effort to achieve comprehensive immigration reform' is very welcome. I also note the announcement that the Administration, under the direction of Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, will work with a leadership group from Congress to take forward the issue. As President Obama noted, however, immigration remains 'a sensitive and politically volatile issue' in the United States. Bi-partisan support is considered vital to the success of comprehensive reform and our friends on Capitol Hill have made it clear that progressing legislation will continue to present significant challenges.

While encouraged by these recent developments, the immediate prospects for immigration reform remain uncertain. The Government is determined to continue to highlight the difficulties facing our undocumented citizens and to support the Administration in its efforts to implement reform.