Rice asked to help 'undocumented' Irish workers

A tearful Irish emigrant in the US had to listen to his father’s funeral Mass on a mobile phone because he was unable to travel home to attend it, it was claimed today.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said many undocumented workers were afraid to return to Ireland because they would not be allowed to re-enter the US.

The Dundalk TD today raised the issue in Washington with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

He said the Bush administration had been very helpful on the matter in the past and he asked for Ms Rice’s to help in resolving the plight of 50,000 undocumented Irish.

His spokesman said: “The minister described how one unfortunate undocumented Irish person had to listen to his father’s funeral in Ireland by means of a mobile phone because he was unable to return home.”

Mr Ahern added: “The Secretary of State told me she was very disappointed with the recent defeat of the immigration legislation on Capitol Hill and she was genuinely taken aback when I instanced how it affected Irish people who could not return home to bury loved ones.”

He said there may be a possibility of developing a reciprocal arrangement with the US with regard to future work visa numbers.

The minister also held bilateral meetings with Congressmen on Capitol Hill, including Senator Ted Kennedy and with the Friends of Ireland Group.

He also met with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform.

Mr Ahern also discussed developments in Burma and Darfur with Ms Rice and briefed her on political progress in the North.