Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
17. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his engagement with President Joe Biden and his administration during his recent visit to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19774/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe visit by President Biden to Ireland was a truly historic occasion which reinforced the close bonds and historic links between our two countries. I accompanied President Biden to Co. Louth, which included a visit to his ancestral home in the Cooley Peninsula and engagements with community groups in Dundalk. In Carlingford Castle, we saw from where James Finnegan, the President's ancestor, emigrated. We reflected on the impact of the Troubles and the Good Friday Agreement, discussing the Shared Island Initiative and progress on Narrow Water Bridge. President Biden was warmly welcomed by the people of Dundalk, visiting local businesses and meeting local representatives. The President also met with young people benefiting from projects supported by the International Fund for Ireland. The IFI, with the continued support of the United States, has contributed greatly to the process of reconciliation between communities in Northern Ireland, and on the island of Ireland. President Biden’s programme in Dublin included a ceremonial welcome at Áras an Uachtaráin; a meeting with the Taoiseach at Farmleigh House; an address to the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas, where the President also met with all party leaders; and an Official Dinner in Dublin Castle. I had a bilateral exchange with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Áras an Uachtaráin, where we discussed foreign policy matters of shared interest and concern. I was also pleased to meet with the political delegation accompanying the President to Ireland, led by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, while in Co. Mayo for the President’s address in Ballina. This group included several longstanding Friends of Ireland, who have worked hard over many years in support of the peace process and to enhance the vital relationship between the United States and Ireland. It was particularly fitting that this visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. President Biden has always been a friend of Ireland, and has, over many decades, actively supported the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement. The bipartisan engagement by successive American Administrations and by Congress, and the support of the Irish diaspora in the United States, have been indispensable, and continues to underpin peace and economic progress on the island of Ireland.
