Cowen: Little chance of deal for illegal Irish

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has admitted there is little chance of a deal for the illegal Irish in the US this year, but stressed the issue will remain a priority for his government.

Mr Cowen said there was “consistent and constant effort” being made to probe if there was “any greater give” on the matter by the US administration, but said the presidential race complicated matters. George W Bush is regarded as a lame-duck president, lacking sufficient power to get any major legislation passed, and his successor will not take office until January.

“It looks to me that in any election year it will be difficult to resolve between now and the end of the present term. It’s not being defeatist, it’s just realistic,” Mr Cowen said.

The presidential race is not the only problem, however.

Congress has so far proved unwilling to pass any legislation that gives a blanket amnesty to illegal immigrants. Neither has it shown willingness to afford special treatment to any particular country, making slim the chances of a bilateral deal between Ireland and the US.

Mr Cowen said the political reality was that there was “no appetite for according the undocumented of any ethnic group in the States a waiver arrangement … And that’s a problem, it’s a real dilemma.”

He said the Government would follow any avenue open to it to improve the situation for the undocumented Irish.

“To be frank, we will take any course of action possible to advance the issue from where it is at the moment.

“It’s a priority for our administration to try and sort this out, and I think the relationship between Ireland and America should be sufficiently strong to accommodate a solution here. But I am aware obviously that in an election year this is an area of policy that everyone is steering clear of at the moment,” said Mr Cowen.

Ciaran Staunton of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, who met with Mr Cowen on the issue, said the organisation felt reassured by the Taoiseach’s commitment.

Mr Cowen’s predecessor, Bertie Ahern, lost favour with the organisation after he dismissed suggestions of Ireland obtaining a special bilateral deal as “pub talk”.

“What we like about the Taoiseach is the fact that he understands the Irish-American community. He lived it, his family lived it,” Mr Staunton said of Mr Cowen.

Both men were speaking following a reception for the Gate and Abbey theatres, both of which are staging productions in New York.

The reception took place at the luxury residence of the Irish consul general in New York and was attended by actors Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson, Stephen Rae, Barry McGovern and Milo O’Shea, among others.