SENIOR members of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) will meet with Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern in Washington on Thursday, May 1, to discuss matters pertaining to the undocumented Irish in the U.S.Kelly Fincham, executive director of the ILIR told the Irish Voice on Tuesday that she along with ILIR chairman Niall O'Dowd, vice chairman Ciaran Staunton, president Jeff Cleary and former Congressman Bruce Morrison will meet with Ahern and other senior representatives of the Irish government in an effort to keep the issue of an estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish high on their agenda. "We are looking forward to the meeting and looking forward to discussing future cooperation on the issue of Irish immigration to the U.S.," said Fincham.The meeting is a result of a request made by ILIR to have a sit down with outgoing Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern during his trip to the U.S. this week. With Ahern leaving power Dermot Ahern will now meet the group.Bertie Ahern, who will address a joint house of the United States Congress on Wednesday morning, has come under fire in recent weeks for his efforts in trying to secure a bilateral deal between both Ireland and the U.S.Ahern denied he had skimped on efforts to secure a deal and said in a recent op-ed article in the Irish Voice that every effort has been made by the Irish government to try to find a solution to the undocumented issue and takes offense to people saying otherwise.Ahern promised he would address the situation again on Wednesday in Washington. "In my address, I will also once again emphasize the government's strong support for the undocumented Irish. In doing so, I will be making a further direct intervention on an issue to which, rightly and very willingly, I have given unprecedented priority during my time in office," he said.