ILLEGAL immigration by Irish citizens into the United States is showing a worrying increase, according to the Minister of State in the Department of Social Welfare, Mr Bernard Durkan.
He has spent the past week visiting immigrant centres and agencies in the Boston and New York areas, accompanied by Father Paul Byrne, director of the Catholic Bishops Commission on Emigration.
Mr Durkan said that while the problem of illegal immigration had "tapered off" with the Morrison and Donnelly visa schemes, it was now on the increase again. But stricter US legislation was also coming into force so that Irish "illegals" would face bigger problems.
Mr Durkan said that the Government might eventually have to take up the matter of quirks in the present system with the US authorities. About 25 per cent of the allotted visas had not been taken up, for example, and could be made available for those who now needed them.
The votes for emigrants issue had come up at times during his visit. The Government was committed to giving them representation in the Seanad but some felt there should also be seats in the Dail to represent emigrants.
The Department of Social Welfare is to produce a booklet giving emigrants to the US information they will need on arrival.