asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation with regard to increasing the number of visas available to Irish citizens who wish to emigrate to the USA.

16.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has undertaken any discussions with American politicians or emigration authorities in an effort to ensure that the interests of illegal Irish aliens in the US are protected and that a quota system as proposed by Congressman Brian Donnelly is included in the proposed legislation; and if he will now open negotiations with leading Irish-American politicians.

26.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the numbers of illegal Irish aliens who have died in the United States in the past four years and whose bodies have been taken home; if he is aware of the absence of insurance cover for such people; and if he will indicate his willingness to raise this matter with American authorities.

I propose to reply to Questions Nos. 5, 16, and 26 together.

As Deputies may be aware, the US Congress last week passed a new immigration measure. This is now before the President and will become law on his signature, which is expected in the coming week.

The measure provides for an additional 5,000 visas per fiscal year — the US fiscal year runs from October to September — for the next two years for immigrants who are not covered by the existing preference categories. Although the new quota is not distributed on a national basis it is specifically aimed at those countries, including Ireland, who were the most significant sources of immigrants prior to the change in the US Immigration Law in 1965. The US State Department will be charged with the responsibility for establishing a distribution mechanism for these visas. The normal requirement of certification by the US Department of Labour that the immigrant has a skill not available in the US has been waived in respect of the visas. Persons who can establish that they have been in the US illegally since before 1982 can be amnestied.

On my instructions, the embassy in Washington has over the past number of years brought to the attention of the appropriate US authorities issues of concern to us in relation to Irish immigrants in the United States; and they have monitored passage of this measure very closely. The embassy is also in contact with the US State Department which is charged with administering the Bill when it becomes law. I am hopeful that the measure when it is signed by the President will help Irish citizens wishing to emigrate to the United States to do so in accordance with US law.

In so far as Question No. 24 is concerned, separate statistics are not kept on those Irish citizens illegally in the US who die there and whose remains are repatriated to this country.

I am keenly aware of the vulnerable position of Irish citizens who are illegally in the US and of the difficulties they encounter. The efforts I have just mentioned are evidence of this. However, problems in regard to insurance of the kind mentioned by the Deputy have not come to my attention and I should be glad to receive any information on this that the Deputy may have.