State Papers: Bertie Ahern's meeting with Bush confirmed fears over Northern Ireland

Bertie Ahern presents a shamrock plant to President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush on March 16, 2001.

The first meeting between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and George W Bush confirmed the fears of Irish officials that Northern Ireland would not receive the same attention from the new US president as from his predecessor, Bill Clinton.

Newly released files from the National Archives reveal details of the exchanges between Mr Ahern and President Bush in the White House on March 16, 2001, ahead of the traditional shamrock ceremony.

A confidential memo of the meeting shows Mr Bush reassured the Taoiseach that the US stood ready to respond to any indication of required assistance by the British and Irish governments.

However, he only referred to the peace process in Northern Ireland in passing but did state his Ambassador-at-Large, Richard Haass, would be available for “issues that concern your country".

 “[Pres Bush] didn't want to ‘butt in’ but he would be glad to help where help was needed,” the memo recorded.

During the meeting, Mr Ahern reintroduced the topic of Northern Ireland by remarking that the conflict of the previous 30 years had been “both terrible and frustrating” but was improving with the upcoming two years presenting an opportunity to ensure peace.

The memo noted: “The President replied that all we had to do was ask. He had said the same to British prime minister, Tony Blair.” 

Because of the key hands-on role taken by President Clinton during pivotal stages of the peace process during his term in office, Irish officials were concerned that the incoming Bush administration would not give the issue the same priority.

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Shamrock presentation

Files show they were also worried that the traditional presentation of shamrock by the Taoiseach to the US president in the White House around St Patrick’s Day might be cancelled by Mr Bush.

The Irish ambassador to the US, Seán Ó hUigínn, sought to sound out the mood of the US deputy national security advisor, Stephen Hadley, on the issue in February 2001.

He showed the high-ranking US officials photos of previous ceremonies involving the new president’s father, George H W Bush, as well as Ronald Reagan.

The ambassador said that the shamrock ceremony was seen as a particularly worthwhile tradition by Irish people and Irish-Americans.

“There would be great and probably vocal disappointment if it were broken,” he added.

Mr Hadley said the Bush administration’s policy on Ireland would remain the same but its implementation would fit “the new arrangements and the style and personality of the new president". 

“The President’s general approach was one of informality and his way, by and large, would be to deal with his counterparts on a relaxed one-to-one basis, rather than on the basis of precedents of other presidents,” he told Mr Ó hUigínn.

Mr Hadley said they were seriously considering the ceremony, which ultimately went ahead as usual.

The meeting in the Oval Office showed that President Bush's main focus was on Afghanistan and Iraq.

The US president was also sceptical about reforms in Russia and referred to the KGB background of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Bush remarked that Putin’s mentality remained in that framework.