Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan and Monaghan, Brendan Smith has urged the Taoiseach to prioritise a discussion with President Biden on the issue of the undocumented Irish in the US at their meeting in Washington next week.

Speaking in the Dáil this week, Deputy Brendan Smith commented, “A legal framework needs to be put in place to ensure Irish people can emigrate successfully and with proper status to the US. We saw during the pandemic the difficulties that could arise when people do not have their status regularised in the country. 

“It is very important for the issue to be very much on the agenda. The E3 visa Bill option fell at midnight when one member of Congress objected. I sincerely hope the Taoiseach can make progress on that. I hope he will raise with President Biden the need to appoint a special envoy to Northern Ireland. Distinguished persons in the past, such as Senator George Mitchell, occupied such a position.”

In response, Taoiseach Micheál Martin stated: “I will certainly raise that with President Biden. It is subject to the domestic political environment and realpolitik in US politics. I will also meet representatives of Friends of Ireland in Congress and I look forward to engaging with them on the matter. It was very unfortunate what happened to that E3 visa Bill on the last occasion. We will continue to pursue those issues.”

ENDS

10/03/2022