Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he has had with the United States authorities regarding the status of the undocumented Irish residents there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28350/09]

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. During that visit we also had useful exchanges on this issue with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy. In addition, I raised the issue in my discussions with Senator Chuck Schumer and Congresswoman Zoë Lofgren, the respective Chairs of the Senate and House subcommittees on immigration.

Most recently, the Taoiseach and I held extensive discussions on the issue with the Congressional delegation, led by Congressman Neal, which visited Ireland last week. This included particularly useful exchanges with influential legislators, Congressman Luis Gutierrez and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, both strong proponents of comprehensive immigration reform and leading members of the Hispanic Caucus.

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, including those within the visiting delegation, have made it clear that progressing legislation will continue to present significant challenges.

While encouraged by 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.