Taoiseach to address US Congress

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will join an exclusive group of world leaders when he addresses the US Congress in April.

A year after his speech to the joint British Houses of Parliament at Westminster, Mr Ahern will follow in the footsteps of four statesmen to accomplish both, like Nelson Mandela and Charles de Gaulle.

The Taoiseach was invited by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to address a Joint Session of Congress on April 30.

Mr Ahern said: “This invitation is a singular honour for Ireland and one of great historic significance, reflecting the unique friendship between Ireland and the United States over many centuries and which continues to the present day.”

Mr Ahern will become the fifth person ever to address both Congress and Westminster, joining Mr Mandela, Mr de Gaulle, president Francois Mitterand and emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

Ms Pelosi described Mr Ahern as a tremendously innovative leader on issues ranging from his leadership in the Northern Ireland peace process to the genocide in Darfur to combating climate change.

“He presides over an economy that is the envy of Europe, indeed the world. We look forward to hearing his vision for continued friendship between our two nations.”

Chairman of the Friends of Ireland, congressman Richard Neal said: “No-one is more deserving of that special recognition than my good friend Bertie Ahern.”

Previous Irish leaders to address a Joint Meeting of Congress include President Sean TO Ceallaigh in 1959, President Eamon de Valera in 1964, Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave in 1976, Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald in 1984 and Taoiseach John Bruton in 1996.

Irish statesmen who addressed a one-chamber Congress included Charles Steward Parnell in 1880, WT Cosgrave in 1928 and John A Costello in 1956.

France has had eight invitations to address a Joint Meeting of Congress, the UK has seven and Israel, Italy, Mexico and now Ireland have six each. Germany has four.

Growing Ireland-US relations and the plight of up to 50 Irish undocumented immigrants is expected to be one of the issues raised in Mr Ahern’s speech.