asked the Taoiseach if he had any discussions with politicians or emigration authorities in the United States in an effort to ease restrictions on the number of illegal emigrants at present in the United States; and the numbers now emigrating on a daily basis.

I did not raise the question of illegal emigrants in the United States. I was concerned to get an enlargement of the legal quota of summer work visas for Irish students. As the Deputy will recall, I announced during my visit there a decision by the American administration to increase this quota to the extent that Ireland now has the benefit of one half of all summer student visas allocated to European countries this year — an increase of 70 per cent over last year's Irish figure.

As to the second part of the Deputy's question, I understand that 555 immigrant visas were issued last year.

Does the Taoiseach acknowledge that a very large number of young Irish people who are at present in the United States are in difficult circumstances? Can he tell the House of any efforts which he or his Government might make to alleviate or improve their position? I want to make it clear to the Taoiseach that I am talking of young people who are already in the United States as distinct from any young people who may yet go there. I am talking about a number of people who are there, some of them perhaps illegally, and who are in a very unhappy and difficult position. I should like the Taoiseach to tell us if anything can be done to improve their situation.

The Deputy will appreciate that if he is talking about people who are in the United States illegally obviously there are severe limits on the action our Government can take in relation to people in that position. The only thing that might be helpful in that regard would be if the United States Government were to decide to introduce an amnesty for those who are there, as distinct from those who might go there in the future. However, I have no reason to believe that is probable. Otherwise, we are limited in what action we can take if people are in the United States illegally.

The Taoiseach will recall that legislation was brought forward on one occasion to grant an amnesty but unfortunately it fell because of developments in regard to the presidential election. Would the Taoiseach not agree it would be desirable that the Irish Government should make every effort to have some such legislation reactivated so that the position of these young people might be put on a proper basis? The Taoiseach is probably aware that many of them cannot return home, even in the most distressing and humanitarian situation, in case they will not be allowed to return. Further, will the Taoiseach agree that, of course, the right solution to this whole problem would be for him and for his Government to change their policies completely and pursue rational, economic policies that would provide employment for these young people, rather than forcing them to emigrate?

That is a separate question. It does not arise on Question No. 1.

With regard to the last part of the Deputy's question, I am aware of his view that simultaneously we should reduce borrowing, increase expenditure and reduce taxation but he has not yet enlightened me on the arithmetic behind that calculation or how he can do anything about it.

The Taoiseach should not be smart. He should just answer the question.

"Smartness" was introduced by the Deputy, not by me.

It would be nice if the Taoiseach did something useful in America.

The question raised by the Deputy with what would appear from his last remark to be a certain lack of sincerity is a serious matter which should not be treated in the way the Deputy is now treating it. Obviously there is a problem in respect of young Irish people who may be in the United States illegally and who may hold employment there. We must have regard to what action on our part, if any, might be helpful and what action on our part might be unhelpful in respect of raising the profile of the problem. That is why I hesitated in developing the issue. With regard to an amnesty, obviously it would be very helpful if that came about. It is a matter that came up for discussion in the United States with members of Irish-American organisations there who are particularly concerned with the problem. The Government would have to consider carefully whether it would be opportune to raise that matter with the United States Government or if it did not succeed whether it might make more problems for the people concerned than those existing already.