Visas for Irish under discussions in US Senate

A new law - which could provide a path to citizenship for up to 50,000 undocumented Irish in America - is to be debated in the US Senate.

The proposed legislation is making steady progress through Capitol Hill in Washington.

There are two parts to what is being sought under the Bill - the first is to give legal status to the many Irish people who are in the US illegally since before the December 31, 2011.

In addition to this it will for the first time since 1965 open the way for up to 10,000 Irish people annually to secure a visa to legally work in the US.

Chairman of the Irish Emigration Lobby Group, Ciaran Staunton - a native of Mayo who is based in New York - has been speaking to Midwest Radio.

He said that if it succeeds it is good news for Irish people - both in the US and here.