Senator escalates row over Kenny’s US ‘shamrockery’

Efforts are being made to bring the president of the US Ireland Alliance Trina Vargo before an Oireachtas Committee after she accused Enda Kenny of embarrassing the country by presenting “shamrockery” gifts to US president Barack Obama.

The request was initiated by Fianna Fáil senator Mark Daly following a public spat between him and Ms Vargo after she criticised the presentation by the Taoiseach of a “certificate of Irishness” to Mr Obama.

In a blog posting last week Ms Vargo questioned who was behind the “certificate of Irishness” idea, which she derided as lamentable “shamrockery”.