Editorial : Bertie Should Explain

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Editorial / Periscope - Niall O'Dowd

Editorial : Bertie Should Explain

February 14, 2008

TAOISEACH (Prime Minster) Bertie Ahern’s comment on immigration reform in the U.S. to the Dail (Irish Parliament) last week was puzzling to say the least. The Irish Times reported that “Bertie Ahern said it was unlikely that the situation relating to the undocumented Irish in the United States would be resolved before November’s presidential election.

“All of the main players and all our supporters in both houses of Congress have made that clear to us since last year. We were very disappointed that efforts by the Congress to pass the comprehensive reform legislation were unsuccessful, because we had put a good deal of effort into that, as had members on all sides of this house,” Ahern said. “ . . . We all know the game and I am afraid the game will not resume until next year.”

Yes, we do know the game, and there is little doubt that Ahern is correct when he states that comprehensive immigration reform is definitely dead until at least next year, if not well beyond that given the divisiveness of the issue.

However, hopes of limited immigration progress are still held by many Washington players, including some of the most important ones who have spoken with the Irish community on this issue.

In an election year it is still feasible that legislation of some kind can still happen, say some very high level politicians.

The undocumented Irish and their supporters in the U.S., most notably the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR), do not believe a massive comprehensive reform bill to be the only game in town as far as immigration reform is concerned.

A number of meetings between ILIR and the Irish government thrashed out an alternative scenario that would allow a bilateral deal between Ireland and the U.S. to be explored which might offer a way forward for the Irish.

The plan was formulated around the notion that other countries such as Australia had negotiated such a bilateral deal, and that with Ireland’s clout in America it was definitely worth pursuing.

And indeed it has been pursued with considerable gusto by ILIR and other interested parties. The Irish government has been part of that effort from the very beginning.

Which is why Ahern’s comments are so puzzling. He referred to the bilateral deal in his remarks last week, but stated that in terms of legislators he has met on the issue, “I do not believe anyone is against our cause but when taken in its totality they cannot deal with it.”

Why suddenly is Ahern taking such a defeatist attitude not long after negotiations with several senators had been deemed promising by those who took part in them?

There are only two possible explanations. The first is that the government has pulled back on any efforts to bring about a bilateral deal between the U.S. and Ireland on a mutually beneficial basis and has not bothered to inform ILIR and those it represents.

The other is that Ahern misspoke and for some reason did not factor in the most recent efforts to achieve the bilateral deal in his comments.

Either way, it is the second time that Ahern has made comments that appear to indicate that the Irish government is less than committed to trying every move possible to help their undocumented. The government needs to clarify its position in relation to this.

Privately, efforts have been made to reassure the Irish undocumented community that this government remains committed. If this is so they need to show evidence of it. Too many of their own Irish citizens are depending on them for help.

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