We must act in the interests of marginalised Irish communities abroad, writes An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern
Our campaign for the 25,000 undocumented Irish in America is a crucial part of a concerted Government policy drive to assist the Irish abroad.
Through a series of unprecedented policy initiatives, this Government has set out to improve the hitherto neglected area of Irish emigrant welfare.
Initiatives such as the pre-1953 pension, free passports for our emigrant senior citizens, the establishment of a dedicated Irish Abroad Unit, and the 12-fold increase in funding since 1997 underline our determination to deliver for the Irish abroad.
Much remains to be done, but we have placed the issue of the Irish abroad at the top of the agenda, and we will keep it there.
To that end, the plight of the undocumented Irish will be a top priority when I meet President Bush and key members of the US Congress in Washington this week.
In my meeting with him tomorrow, I will once again set out clearly the particular concerns of the undocumented Irish and their families in Ireland. I will ask for his support to end their uncertainty and suffering.
The contribution made by generations of Irish immigrants in the United States is widely recognised and celebrated. America would be a very different and much poorer place without their sacrifice and achievements.
The contribution being made by today's Irish immigrants to the economic and social life of the US is just as valid and important. The undocumented Irish are raising families, paying taxes and working hard.
They long to come out of the shadow of fear and uncertainty and to have their lives recognised and accepted.
I am also deeply conscious of the many families in Ireland, often elderly parents, whose sons and daughters are unable to return home for weddings, funerals and other important events for fear of being denied re-entry to the US. The pain of separation is, I know, particularly acute at such times.
Today we enjoy unprecedented economic prosperity in Ireland. All Irish people, be they at home or abroad, should take great pride in this achievement. But new prosperity brings new responsibilities.
One such responsibility is to our marginalised communities abroad, and there is no Irish community more desperate right now than our undocumented community in the US.
That is why the Irish Government has been lobbying intensely in favour of a Bill proposed by Senators Edward Kennedy and John McCain. The Oireachtas fully endorsed this effort in all-party motions passed by the Dáil and Seanad last October.
If enacted, this Bill would enable the undocumented to come out of the shadows, to work legally and, in time, to obtain permanent residency. It would also enable them to travel to and from Ireland.
My visit comes at a critical time in the debate on immigration reform. I recognise that it is a difficult and divisive issue for many Americans.
In the post 9/11 era, securing the integrity of US borders has, understandably, become a major concern. At the same time, President Bush and many members of Congress have spoken publicly of the need to deal with the reality that 11 million undocumented people live and work in the US.
Thousands of US businesses simply could not continue to function without this labour.
Last December, the US House of Representatives passed a Bill that focused solely on border security and enforcement issues. Attention has since shifted to the Senate, where a number of Bills, including Kennedy/McCain, are under consideration at committee stage at present.
Should the Senate succeed in passing an immigration Bill that addresses the concerns of the undocumented, a conference will be held with the House of Representatives where an attempt will be made to merge the two Bills. The outcome is uncertain and success is far from guaranteed. The "mid-term" congressional elections to be held later this year are an additional complicating factor.
In my series of meetings with the leadership of the Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, I will remind them of my personal commitment to the undocumented Irish. I am determined to ensure that their case is not forgotten as the debate in Congress proceeds. It is vital that provision for a path to permanent residency for the undocumented be included in whatever Bill is ultimately passed.
The Government has been joined in recent months in its lobbying effort by the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform. In public meetings organised by the ILIR across the US, thousands of young undocumented Irish people have turned up to make their voices heard. I commend Niall O'Dowd and his team for their remarkable initiative.
However, the true heroes of this movement have been the undocumented themselves. Their presence and behaviour at the ILIR "day of action" in Washington on March 8th will long be remembered as one of Ireland's finest days in the US capital. Many members of Congress were left with a lasting positive impression of the thousands of articulate undocumented Irish who came to Washington to make their case with dignity.
Achieving comprehensive reform is not an easy challenge. Working together, the Government, the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform and, most importantly, the undocumented community, are having a very significant impact on the debate in Congress.
I am determined to continue this effort in the weeks and months to come.