February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Finian McGrath, TD, an independent deputy representing the Dublin North Central constituency, claims that he was pressured into withdrawing the question by an official at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
McGrath’s written question to Foreign Minister Brian Cowen asked for a government estimate of undocumented Irish numbers. His question specifically asked how many undocumented Irish the government thought were living and working on the U.S. eastern seaboard.
According to McGrath, he was soon contacted by a department official and asked to withdraw the question. McGrath said it was indicated to him that the department was concerned that any number made public would attract the attention of U.S. immigration authorities and would prompt a greater effort to apprehend and deport undocumented Irish.
“It was suggested that, because of the current political climate in America, I should pull the question,” McGrath said last week. “So I pulled it. It was a bit na