Would the Minister consider making information available to the public on how this new US legislation is expected to operate and how those young people who have been in the United States illegally from before 1982 can avail of the legislation? Could the Minister indicate also what representations, if any, he has made concerning those who have gone to the United States in the past three to four years and who may be there without proper documentation and what steps, if any, he foresees might be taken to regularise their position?

In regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, we cannot condone the breaking by our citizens of the laws of another country. Therefore, it is very difficult for us to ask the United States to co-operate with us in finding out how many of our citizens are illegally in their country. I recognise that there are thousands of Irish citizens — I do not know precisely how many — who are in the United States illegally. I have met a lot of them. I would not advise anybody to go to the United States illegally. It is wrong to do that but I will try to find a way to help those who are there already.

After the legislation is signed by the President in the next week or so I hope to approach members of Congress to try to do something for those who have been there since 1982. This is a long haul and a difficult problem. It is rare that a Bill relating to emigration goes through both Houses of Congress and it may be some time before another one gets through even though it may be No. 1 on the Order Paper. United States officials will not decide until the President has signed the legislation next week how this will work and the mechanisms that should be introduced. When that information is available to me I will make it public.

I want short questions, without preamble, from Deputies De Rossa, J. Leonard and P. Gallagher. We have spent too much time on this matter.

Will the Minister give an undertaking that his Department, perhaps in conjunction with the Department of Labour, will make known to the general public the legal status of people who go to the United States without proper visas? I am referring to those who intend to work in that county. I want to ensure that those people are forewarned of the exploitation they may be subjected to. Will the Minister undertake to publicise, as soon as he has the information, the way the new US legislation will operate so that parents and relatives here will be aware of how they can assist their relatives in the US?

I will do that as soon as I get the information but I do not expect to get it for some weeks. I doubt if there is anybody here who is not aware of the danger for people who work illegally in the US as far as their future careers are concerned. When they apply for a visa to enter the US they are warned about those matters but in case there are parents or others who are not aware of that I will discuss with the Minister for Labour the suggestion put forward by the Deputy to see if there is a way we can publicise this information.