Rally aims to push forward case for illegal Irish in US

Up to 3,000 people are expected to attend a rally in Washington today calling for legal moves to regularise the situation of illegal Irish immigrants in the United States.

The demonstration is taking place while campaigners from the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform meet US politicians to discuss the situation.

The US Congress is still in the process of debating immigration reforms that could offer hope of residency to many of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants, around 50,000 of whom are Irish.

Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton, who is taking part in today's rally, has said he hopes the Democrat victory in recent congressional elections will push forward the agenda.