Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2024
134. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he continues to have with the US authorities with a view to regularising the undocumented Irish in the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21129/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing the difficult situation of undocumented Irish emigrants in the United States and working to secure legal pathways for Irish people seeking to live and work in the US continues to be a key priority for the Government. Ireland continues to raise immigration issues at every appropriate engagement with the United States Government and Congress.The Government actively supports the efforts of President Biden’s administration to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. While comprehensive reform that identifies a clear pathway for undocumented Irish citizens to regularise their status would be the optimal solution, we should not underestimate the major obstacles to achieving this, given the political sensitivities of immigration issues in the United States, including in Congress.During my last visit to the United States, in February, I raised immigration issues on a number of occasions. In Washington, I discussed prospects for immigration reform with members of the United States Congress, including the Friends of Ireland caucus. In Chicago, I spent time with organisations that are actively supporting the Irish diaspora. One of the organisations I met, Irish Community Services, receives funding from my Department’s Emigrant Support Programme to provide immigration and community services to the Irish community in the region, including free consultations with immigration lawyers. During former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s meetings with President Biden in Washington in March, he stressed the difficulties faced by Irish people in the US who remain undocumented and expressed the Government’s wish to see a solution that helps to regularise their status. He also discussed our shared wish to see increased opportunities for young people to travel and gain experience between Ireland and the US.The Department of Foreign Affairs continues to provide significant funding through the Emigrant Support Programme to organisations providing ongoing, valuable assistance to our citizens, including the undocumented, in cities across the United States.In addition to this support and to our engagement at the Federal level through our Embassy in Washington DC, our eight Consulates General in the U.S. continue proactively to seek opportunities to improve the day-to-day lives of the Irish undocumented, including by working with local state governments.An example of this is in Massachusetts, where legislation enabling residents to apply for drivers' licences, irrespective of their immigration status, came into effect last year. The Consulate General of Ireland in Boston led a sustained campaign in support of this reform for many years, and I strongly welcomed the passage of this law, which makes a modest but appreciable difference in the lives of undocumented Irish citizens in Massachusetts. I discussed this legislation with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey during her visit to Dublin last summer.
