Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

[Deputy Eamon Gilmore.]
Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
border crime and any new evidential opportunities related to the Omagh bombing will be fully
pursued in the spirit of this enhanced relationship.
Emigrant Support Services
124. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if
he will lobby key members of the US Senate during his visit to Washington DC by requesting
them to support the E-3 visa scheme which would allow up to 10,000 working visas a year for
Irish emigrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7994/12]
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Eamon Gilmore): As I outlined
in my reply to question No. 47 of 25 January, enabling Irish people to apply for E-3 temporary
U.S. work visas has been a particular focus of the Government’s efforts in the context of our
overall ongoing exchanges with the U.S. Administration and Congress on immigration-related
issues. The Taoiseach and I discussed immigration issues with President Obama when we met
with him on 23 May last year in Dublin and I also did so in separate exchanges which I had
during the course of 2011 with Secretary of State Clinton and Senator Patrick Leahy, Chair of
the Senate Judiciary Committee.
During my visits of last week to Washington D.C. and New York, I reviewed progress on E-
3 issues during further separate contacts which I had with Deputy Secretary Bill Burns of the
U.S. State Department and also with Senator Leahy, Senator Scott Brown and Senator Charles
Schumer and members of the Friends of Ireland group at House of Representatives level.
As the Deputy will be aware, Senators Schumer, Leahy and Durbin and Senators Brown
and Kirk had tabled draft Bills which would enable the provision of E-3 visas to Irish applicants.
Both Bills have since been referred for examination by the U.S. Senate’s Judiciary Committee
and I am pleased that progress is being made towards securing the bi-partisan consensus that
will be required if a good overall result is to be achieved.
In my discussions with them last week, I thanked Senators Leahy, Schumer and Brown for
their ongoing efforts in this regard and encouraged them to persist towards reaching a positive
outcome. I also assured them of the Government’s continuing close interest and support in this
connection, which we are exercising through our Embassy in Washington.
The Embassy is in turn working in tandem with key stakeholder groups from throughout the
Irish-American community. The Taoiseach also met last week in New York with representatives
from several of these groups, including the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, the
Ancient Order of Hibernians, Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform and the Coalition of Irish
Immigration Centres. I would also like acknowledge and thank all these groups and others
from within Irish-America for their vital help and support in rallying momentum behind our
collective efforts.
I am heartened by the advances that have been made so far towards enabling Irish people
to apply for E-3 visas. However, and together with our friends and allies on Capitol Hill and
amongst the Irish-American community, I am conscious that the current U.S. domestic political
climate around immigration issues and the Presidential elections taking place there later this
year mean that nothing can be taken for granted. The Government will therefore continue
to engage closely through the Embassy with key players at both U.S. Senate and House of
Representatives levels over the period ahead with a view to further advancing our Irish E-3
visa objectives.
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