US senator Ted Kennedy has been waiting "a number of weeks" for the Taoiseach to phone him about a bilateral agreement to benefit illegal Irish immigrants in the US, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has claimed.
Mr Kenny, who was ruled out of order by the Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue, asked if Mr Ahern would "be so kind as to call him to indicate the interest of the Government in pursuing a bilateral arrangement with the United States to regularise the position of illegal Irish immigrants".
The Fine Gael leader said he understood that New York senator Charles Schumer "is willing to support a Bill instituting a bilateral arrangement between Ireland and the United States but cannot do so without the imprimatur of Senator Kennedy whom I understand has been waiting for a call from the Taoiseach for some weeks".
The Ceann Comhairle said "there are other ways to raise that matter". But Mr Kenny said the Minister for Foreign Affairs had repeatedly said the Government was in a very strong position to deal with the issue.
