11 October 2005
Dr. Henry: I wish to share time with Senators O'Toole and Norris.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach: Is that agreed?
Agreed.
Dr. Henry: I am glad the Minister has given extra money to the various organisations that deal with emigrants because, like Senator Mooney, I believe there will be significant opposition to the Kennedy-McCain Bill and the other items of legislation aimed at helping undocumented people in the United States. It is important to remember that the legislation does not solely relate to undocumented Irish people. In fact, they are a very small part of what is seen in the United States as a most serious problem. One need only look at the physical changes made on Capitol Hill in terms of the bunkers built there to realise the change in the mentality that has taken place in the United States since the attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. The terrorist attacks were particularly terrible for a people who promote globalisation that leads to a greater movement of not just capital but also labour. Every country must be in a position to close its borders, particularly in order to exclude people with diseases and so forth. This shock has been most terrible for the United States. I foresee serious problems in bringing forward the Bill. While I support what the Minister is trying to do, I hope that, in the context of what we are asking the United States to do, he will reciprocate in terms of immigrants to this country--
Mr. Norris: Hear, hear.
Dr. Henry: --and that he will take the recommendations of the Immigrant Council of Ireland seriously and bring them forward. Anyone who saw the recent production of the Arthur Miller play, "A View from the Bridge", which deals with the terror faced by illegal Italian immigrants should realise that a similar terror is faced by immigrants to a country where their documentation is not deemed proper and should be sympathetic about people who have come here as well as those who left this country for the United States.
I substituted for Senator Quinn at a meeting of the Joint Committee on European Affairs last week. Some members of the committee were extremely tough on those who came before it to speak about human trafficking in this country. It was stated that referring to vague numbers was not enough and that those present would be obliged to arrive at exact numbers so that the Minister, Deputy McDowell, would be more sympathetic to their case. However, that is all we can do regarding the number of illegal Irish people in the United States. We do not know if there are 5,000, 25,000 or 50,000 such individuals.
The Minister should ensure that a sympathetic approach is taken to people who are in this country illegally. They may not have been smuggled into Ireland but may have come here legally on work permits. As work permits are held by employers, employees can easily have part of their wages creamed off to pay for them. Pay is the wrong word to use; it is really a form of blackmail designed to keep people in particular jobs. Such people are in most vulnerable positions because if an employer withdraws a work permit, the employee will then have to leave the country. I ask the Minister to examine this matter. I hope the authorities in the United States will look at the figures for legal immigration into that country. The number was lower last year than has been the case for three decades. It has become so difficult to enter the United States that people are now choosing to seek entry to other English speaking countries such as Canada or Australia or to states of the European Union other than Ireland. This year, the American ambassador, Mr. Kenny, was reduced to going around the universities to encourage students to apply for J1 visas so they would go to the United States, work there and at least get a flavour of the American way of life which so many of us experienced in the past. I ask that it be put to those in the United States who are opposed to the Bill that people are already there who may be ready to become splendid citizens of a country where fewer legal immigrants are arriving.
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