Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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203. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the position of the undocumented Irish in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34176/16]

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 have been and will remain key objectives for the Government.

I most recently raised the question of immigration reform, including relief for undocumented Irish citizens in the United States, during my meeting with US Secretary of State, Mr John Kerry, on 30 October. While Secretary of State Kerry does not carry policy responsibility for immigration reform, he was personally very sympathetic to the plight of the undocumented Irish and was hopeful that progress could be made in the future.

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 situation 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. The Taoiseach again discussed the prospects for immigration reform with Vice President Biden during his visit to Ireland in July.

I also availed of my visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September 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 continue to work closely with Irish American community leaders in actively pursuing all viable opportunities to advance immigration reform. There is little prospect of comprehensive reform being achieved within the lifetime of the outgoing Congress and the current policy platform of the Trump campaign would not suggest that it will be an immediate priority for the incoming Administration. Nevertheless, our Ambassador and Embassy staff in Washington DC are working with their contacts on both sides of the political aisle to assess the basis for a renewed initiative once a new Administration and Congress have been established in Washington DC.