I welcome the speech overnight by President Obama in which he indicated he would initiate legislation for the undocumented immigrants - estimated at 11 million people - living in the United States. That follows a bipartisan statement of principles, with four Democrats and four Republicans coming together to issue a set of principles on what they believe could constitute all-party agreement legislation for the undocumented people in America. This issue has seen renewed focus since the presidential election, when Republicans realised that the Hispanic vote had moved to Democrats, and that the issue of legislating - or at least creating a path to legalisation - for the 11 million people living illegally in the United States was something that Hispanics wanted. I hope this happens and if it does, it will help the 30,000 to 50,000 undocumented Irish who are living illegally in the United States currently.

We should hope this is not a false dawn like that of 2007, when I and others from this House attended a rally in snow in March that year with more than 3,000 illegal Irish people in America. That was in support of the Kennedy-McCain Bill and I am delighted that Senator John McCain is again involved with three other Republicans in trying to deal comprehensively with this issue once and for all. I am very happy that President Obama has issued a statement indicating that if action is not forthcoming, he will initiate legislation in this regard.

I call for a debate in this House on the undocumented Irish in America as a matter of urgency, given the political developments on Capitol Hill over recent days. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade should have a renewed sense of urgency in dealing with the issue. It would be an important debate.

I was going to raise the matter mentioned by Senator Conway but first I convey my amazement and shock at the hypocrisy from the other side of the House after the announcement of-----

It is hypocrisy from the Senator's side.

It is true that it is hypocrisy. I ask the Cathaoirleach to ask Senator MacSharry to withdraw his comments.

Why?

It was a political charge. I have ruled on the matter already. Is there a question for the Deputy Leader?

We can talk about hypocrisy. There should be debate in this House about corruption. We can talk about announcements. Before the 2007 and 2011 elections, the local and print media could not keep up with all the announcements from Fianna Fáil Ministers about achievements.

That sounds like hypocrisy to me.

I will make no apology-----

Is there a question for the Deputy Leader? The Senator, without interruption.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, and I will make no apology for looking after the people of the south east and Kilkenny.

That sounds like an admission.

Under Fianna Fáil we had the lowest earnings per capita and the worst uptake of university education because there is no university in the south east.

I would sit down if I were the Senator.

People in glass houses should not throw stones. How many Fianna Fáil leaders had to resign because of corruption?

Is there a question?

I have a question related to the matter raised by Senator Conway.

The Senator is basically saying that corruption exists-----

No, I want a debate about corruption.

The Senator should finish.

What is the question?

I welcome the announcement mentioned by Senator Conway. There should be a debate on the matter in this House and perhaps it could be similar to what was done with the leader of the Orange Order.

The Senator is over time.

Perhaps we could bring in the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Irish ambassador to the US or the US ambassador to Ireland. The Bill will propose a five year probationary period, a large fine, payment of back taxes and no benefits for the full probationary period. As a House, we could have a big input on how the legislation will be framed and how we can help the people lost in the American system.

Well said.

When one gets to the high moral ground, it can be a very shaky position.

The Senators opposite are experts in the field.

We had good tutors in the Progressive Democrats and no doubt Fine Gael has the same in Labour. I endorse everything said by Senator Conway about the undocumented in the US. I have had the honour and pleasure over many years, along with colleagues on all sides of the House, of advancing this case.

We travelled to the United States and tried to promote the best possible outcome. All of us, particularly those of us from the western seaboard from where there has been a high level of emigration, are aware of families who have been riven as a result of their undocumented status and being unable to return home for family events. That is still the case. The initiatives that came from a bipartisan group of Senators and Members of both Houses and now followed up by President Obama, as Senator Conway said, are to be welcomed. I hope that will be an added incentive for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and for the Government to continue to make representations to the US Administration, that the Irish Embassy in Washington, which has played a superb role in this throughout, will step up its efforts in this regard and that, hopefully, we will see an end to what has been a very sad and unfortunate episode in Irish-American relations.

Hear, hear.