Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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211. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress to date in addressing the undocumented Irish in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43964/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the very understandable concerns which exist among members of the Irish community in the U.S. in light of recent developments in the area of immigration under the new U.S. Administration.

The changed political landscape in the US has resulted in a renewed focus on the plight of the many millions of undocumented people living in the US, including thousands of Irish citizens.

Ireland’s diplomatic representatives in the U.S continue to take every opportunity to raise the immigration issue with the US authorities and with their contacts on Capitol Hill.

In order to support people who have those concerns, our Embassy in Washington DC, and our six Consulates across the U.S., continue to work with Irish immigration centres to provide support to undocumented Irish citizens.

Legal advice on the implications of policy developments for undocumented Irish citizens in the U.S, funded by my Department, has been disseminated amongst Irish immigration centres in the United States and is available online.

The Irish Government’s objectives regarding undocumented Irish citizens in the United States remain constant, namely, to achieve relief for the undocumented and facilitate greater pathways for legal migration to the United States.

With this in mind, Ireland’s diplomatic representatives in the U.S. are continuing to systematically avail of all opportunities to raise the immigration issue in their contacts with the US authorities, including the prospects for immigration reform and the situation of the undocumented.

We do not, however, underestimate the size of the challenge.

This policy area has been a deeply divisive issue within the US political system for decades, with pronounced disagreement, even within the same political parties, on the best way to deal with a problem which directly affects over 11 million people.

The Government has always tried to work with both parties in a bipartisan way to address our longstanding concerns and this continues to be our approach.

During my visit to New York for the UN General Assembly in September, I met with representatives of the four Irish Immigration Centers in the region and a representative of the US-wide Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres. It gave me the opportunity to hear from those working at the coalface with the undocumented Irish as to the current situation and the problems they are encountering on the ground.

In addition, I met with a senior State Department official and used that opportunity to once again impress on the US administration the importance which the Irish Government attaches to a resolution of the plight of the undocumented Irish.

I was able to further emphasise the Government’s commitment to this issue when I travelled to Washington DC from 3 to 5 October and met with senior members of President Trump’s administration and with members of Congress.

I was pleased that Deputy John Deasy, the Government’s Special Envoy to the US Congress on the Undocumented, who was appointed by the Taoiseach to that position last June, was able to accompany me to those meetings. His appointment was another important statement of our intent and seriousness on this issue.

In addition, the Taoiseach raised the issue when he spoke with President Trump by phone shortly after taking office and I know that the Taoiseach looks forward to having an opportunity to discuss this important issue with President Trump in more detail in due course.

There can be no doubt, then, that the Government remains wholly committed to working with the US authorities to resolve the plight of the undocumented Irish. The Government will continue to articulate to the US authorities our keen interest in this area while respecting the right of the United States to set its own immigration policies.

I can assure the Deputy of the Government’s continued commitment to pursuing these matters on behalf of our affected citizens in the U.S.