US President Joe Biden expresses ‘deep, deep affection for Ireland’
US President Joe Biden hosts Taoiseach Micheál Martin during a virtual St Patrick's Day visit at the White House. Picture: Jim Watson /AFP via Getty Images
A historic first meeting between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and US president Joe Biden was dominated by a renewed commitment to peace in the North, the fight against Covid-19, and the promise of a state visit here.
The 80-minute bilateral meeting, held virtually, was the centrepiece of a hectic day of engagements for Mr Martin with US leaders, including vice president Kamala Harris and house speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Despite days of speculation, Ireland will not be receiving any of the 30m supply of AstraZeneca vaccines held by the US, currently being stored in a warehouse.
“The president is very anxious to get his people vaccinated as quickly as you possibly can and to have a sufficiency of vaccines to do that, but I think he will be keeping that situation under review,” said the Taoiseach.
“He doesn't necessarily have a stockpile. He wants to find out will he have, in time, sufficiency of vaccines for his own people.”
The Taoiseach said his main focus is on keeping supply chains open and avoiding any sense of protectionism.
Mr Martin paid tribute to the work done by Mr Biden to re-engage with the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization after president Donald Trump severed ties with them.
“The world has rightly taken great heart from the steps you have already taken to bring the US back to centre stage on global health, on climate, and on human rights,” said the Taoiseach.
During meetings, Mr Biden and Ms Pelosi both expressed “strong support” for the Good Friday Agreement at a critical time during the Brexit negotiations.
Mr Martin thanked both Mr Biden and Ms Pelosi for their unwavering backing for the 1998 agreement amid rising tensions in the North.
“I especially want to thank you for your unwavering support for the Good Friday Agreement. It has meant a lot and it has mattered, including as we negotiated Brexit,” said the Taoiseach.
Mr Biden said: "You know my view, and the view of my predecessor of the Obama/Biden administration, on the Good Friday Agreement, we strongly support them, we think it's critically important they be maintained and the political and economic stability of Northern Ireland is very much in the interest of all of our people."
What was also significant is that Mr Biden also participated in a meeting of the Northern leaders — Arlene Foster of the DUP and Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Féin — which was hosted by Ms Harris.
The president confirmed that the White House would be illuminated in green last night to “celebrate the deep, deep affection Americans have, particularly Irish-Americans, for Ireland”.
Mr Martin said he invited Mr Biden to Ireland during his term of office. There is speculation it could happen this year.
“He's wishing to come to Ireland. And, as he said himself, his family will not forgive him if he doesn't get to Ireland at some stage as president and he's eagerly looking forward to arriving here,” said the Taoiseach after their meeting.
In several engagements during the day, both leaders paid tribute to the late John Hume and US civil rights leader John Lewis who both died last year.
On St Patrick's Day: "We're going to light up the White House in green to celebrate the deep, deep affection that we Americans have for Ireland and the people of Ireland."
On the bowl of Shamrock: "It's a great tradition, a custom that goes all the way back to Harry Truman ... tonight, Taoiseach, I hope you will be able to see it remotely."
On his Irish roots: "I wonder why we left in the first place. Irish Americans think they’re more Irish than the Irish. We Irish are the only people who are nostalgic for the future."
On the Good Friday Agreement: "The political and economic stability of Northern Ireland is very much in the interest of all of our people."
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