Madam, – Niall Stanage accurately highlights some oft-propagated fallacies about the relationship between Ireland and the United States (Opinion, August 8th). Notwithstanding his frustrations with the current state of play, Mr Stanage is optimistic about the future.
He believes that there is a great opportunity “to boost Ireland’s economic and cultural fortunes.” I agree.
Yet what appears to be a throwaway line in Mr Stanage’s piece deeply troubles me. He describes an “unfounded faith in Irish-American political influence” and the “quixotic suggestion that the Irish Government should seek a bilateral deal with the US to help illegal Irish immigrants”. Mr Stanage should tell former Congressmen Brian Donnelly and Bruce Morrison that attempts to help the undocumented Irish are “quixotic”. In fact, my Uncle Brian’s favourite part of telling the Donnelly Visa story is recounting the number of people who told him that he couldn’t do something just for the Irish.
But I get the dynamics of the new relationship; Mr Stanage urges that our two nations embrace. Much can be done to further enrich the already well-heeled and to help the privileged young find new work in emerging areas where transatlantic interests coalesce. Fighting to ensure that the undocumented Irish have the same access to the American Dream as our ancestors is a “dead end”. That’s the old, failed relationship.
I think I’ll cling to that key element of the old relationship despite Mr Stanage’s admonition. And the Irish Government would be morally wrong if it were to cease using the influence it still does enjoy on behalf of the undocumented, especially now that the Democratic party runs Washington, DC. – Yours, etc,