Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998
PL 105-319 (H.R.4293), enacted 10/30/1998

PUBLIC LAW 105-319—OCT. 30, 1998 
112 STAT. 3013 
Public Law 105-319 
105th Congress 
An Act 
To establish a cultural training program for disadvantaged individuals to assist 
Oct. 30, 1998 
the Irish peace process. 
[H R 42931 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Irish Peace 
Process Cultural 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
and Training 
This Act may be cited as the "Irish Peace Process Cultural 1998. 
and Training Program Act of 1998". 
8 USC 1101 note. 
SEC. 2. IRISH PEACE PROCESS CULTURAL AND TRAINING PROGRAM. 8 USC 1101 note. 
(a) PURPOSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary of State and the Attorney 
General shall establish a program to allow young people from 
disadvantaged areas of designated counties suffering from 
sectarian violence and high structural unemployment to enter 
the United States for the purpose of developing job skills and 
conflict resolution abilities in a diverse, cooperative, peaceful, 
and prosperous environment, so that those young people can 
return to their homes better able to contribute toward economic 
regeneration and the Irish peace process. The program shall 
promote cross-community and cross-border initiatives to build 
grassroots support for long-term peaceful coexistence. The Sec-
retary of State and the Attorney General shall cooperate with 
nongovernmental organizations to assist those admitted to 
participate fully in the economic, social, and cultural life of 
the United States. 
(2) SCOPE AND DURATION OF PROGRAM.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The program under paragraph (1) 
shall provide for the admission of not more than 4,000 
aliens under section 101(a)(15)(Q)(ii) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (including spouses and minor children) 
in each of 3 consecutive program years. 
(B) OFFSET IN NUMBER OF H-2B NONIMMIGRANT ADMIS-
SIONS ALLOWED.—^Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, for each alien so admitted in a fiscal year, the numeri-
cal limitation specified under section 214(g)(1)(B) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act shall be reduced by 1 
for that fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year. 
(3) RECORDS AND REPORT.—^The Immigration and Natu-
ralization Service shall maintain records of the nonimmigrant 
status and place of residence of each alien admitted under 
the program. Not later than 120 days after the end of the 
third program year and for the 3 subsequent years, the 
112 STAT. 3014 
PUBLIC LAW 105-319—OCT. 30, 1998 
Immigration and Naturalization Service shall compile and sub-
mit to the Congress a report on the number of aliens admitted 
with nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(Q)(ii) who 
have overstayed their visas. 
(4) DESIGNATED COUNTIES DEFINED.—For the purposes of 
this Act, the term "designated counties" means the six counties 
of Northern Ireland and the counties of Louth, Monaghan, 
Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo, and Donegal within the Republic of 
Ireland. 
(b) TEMPORARY NONIMMIGRANT VISA.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 101(a)(15)(Q) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(Q)) is amended— 
(A) by inserting "(i)" after "(Q)"; and 
(B) by inserting after the semicolon at the end the 
following: "or (ii)(I) an alien 35 years of age or younger 
having a residence in Northern Ireland, or the counties 
of Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo, and Donegal 
within the Republic of Ireland, which the alien has no 
intention of abandoning who is coming temporarily (for 
a period not to exceed 36 months) to the United States 
as a participant in a cultural and training program 
approved by the Secretary of State and the Attorney Gen-
eral under section 2(a) of the Irish Peace Process Cultural 
and Training Program Act of 1998 for the purpose of provid-
ing practical training, employment, and the experience of 
coexistence and conflict resolution in a diverse society, 
and (II) the alien spouse and minor children of any such 
alien if accompanying the alien or following to join the 
alien;". 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out the purposes of this section. Amounts appro-
priated pursuant to this subsection are authorized to be available 
until expended. 
(d) SUNSET.— 
Effective date. 
(1) Effective October 1, 2005, the Irish Peace Process 
Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998 is repealed. 
PUBLIC LAW 105-319—OCT. 30, 1998 
112 STAT. 3015 
(2) Effective October 1, 2005, section 101(a)(15XQ) of the Effective date. 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(Q)) is 
amended— 
(A) by striking "or" at the end of clause (i); 
(B) by striking "(i)" after "(Q)"; and 
(C) by striking clause (ii). 
Approved October 30, 1998. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4293: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 144 (1998): 
Oct. 7, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 8, considered and passed Senate. 
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