Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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336. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to initiate an action plan aimed specifically at addressing and resolving the ongoing plight and hardship of undocumented Irish citizens living in the United States, including advocating for immigration reforms and relief for undocumented Irish migrants; the extent of engagement which is taking place between authorities both here and in the US to examine these issues and to progress the regularisation of persons with such status residing in the US; if he will request that the issue of the undocumented Irish is discussed as part of any future meetings held between the Government and the incoming US President; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31586/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Achieving relief for undocumented Irish migrants in the US and agreement on a facility for future legal migration between Ireland and the US remain key objectives for the Government. The issue is regularly addressed in high level political contacts between Ireland and the US Government and our Embassy in Washington and Consulates elsewhere in the US are very active in advocating for immigration reform.

The Taoiseach has raised the prospects for immigration reform in his contacts with the US Administration, including with Vice President Biden during his visit to Ireland in July. While in Washington for St. Patrick's Day, the Taoiseach and I met President Obama, Vice President Biden, Speaker Ryan, Senator Chuck Schumer and other key Congressional contacts from both sides of the aisle. During these meetings we emphasised the plight of the undocumented Irish in the US and encouraged both Houses of Congress to work on a bipartisan basis towards a comprehensive package of immigration reform measures.

I also availed of my visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly last month to meet Irish community leaders in the United States, to discuss with them the prospects for achieving immigration reform and to reassure them of the Government's commitment to the issue. In addition, Minister of State McHugh met representatives of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers, representing a broad group of Irish centres across the United States, in New York on 20 September. That meeting was also attended by Senator Billy Lawless of Seanad Éireann.

The Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our Embassy in Washington will continue to work closely with Irish American community leaders in actively pursuing all viable opportunities to advance immigration reform. While there is little realistic prospect of comprehensive reform within the lifetime of the current Congress, our Ambassador and Embassy staff are working with their contacts on both sides of the political aisle to prepare the basis for a renewed initiative once a new Administration and Congress have been established in Washington DC.