A St Patrick's Day high on symbolism, warm relations as leaders enjoy 'good old chinwag'

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and US President Joe Biden spoke for one hour and twenty minutes - double the amount of time Leo Varadkar was spared by Trump last year

US President Joe Biden looks at a bowl of shamrocks from Ireland. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP 

What a difference a year makes.

Last year, just as he announced the first national lockdown, Leo Varadkar looked distinctly uncomfortable as he sat alongside a dominant Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

It was not a warm encounter. Varadkar looked like a nervous groom on his wedding day. Trump cut an aloof and disinterested figure beside his Irish guest.

Yesterday, despite an ocean between them, there was more warmth and genuine affection between Trump’s successor Joe Biden and Varadkar’s successor Micheál Martin, who beamed with happiness throughout.

There have been few easy or happy days for Martin since he became Taoiseach, but this was clearly one of them. “It has been a busy but fruitful day,” he told reporters last night.

Mr Martin said the bowl of Shamrock presented to Mr Biden represented the undying friendship between our two countries – a symbol of the good times we have shared and the challenges we have endured, always at each other’s side.

The two men had, what was described as, a “good old chinwag” during their meeting which lasted an hour and twenty minutes, almost double the 40 minutes Varadkar was spared by Trump last year.

For his part, a clearly delighted Taoiseach said he and the President had “a very warm and upbeat meeting".

President Biden told the Taoiseach of his 'deep, deep affection for Ireland and its people. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty

“I know that St. Patrick’s Day is very special to you, as a proud son of Ireland. Equally, the people of Ireland are so proud of your election as President of the United States of America,” Mr Martin told Mr Biden.

“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. We want to work with you to promote our shared values and interests in the world, including at the United Nations Security Council on which we are currently serving,” The Taoiseach said.

Afterwards, Mr Martin told reporters he invited President Biden to come to Ireland and the President is adamant it will happen during his term of office.

“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,” the Taoiseach said.

For his part, Biden looked equally happy to talk about Ireland, a cause he said was “in his blood”.

Biden told Martin that the White House will be lit up in green to "celebrate the deep, deep affection Americans, particularly Irish Americans, have for Ireland.”

The US President spoke energetically about his Irish roots and previous visits to Ireland. "I wondered why we left in the first place," he quipped.

"Irish Americans think they’re more Irish than the Irish," he said. 

We Irish are the only people who are nostalgic for the future.

Aside from the warm and fuzzy guff, the President again outlined his strong support for the Peace Process and the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Martin thanked the President for what he called his “unwavering support” for that agreement.

“It has meant a lot and it has mattered, including as we negotiated Brexit,” he said.

In return, President Biden made clear his continued backing for the agreement at a time of increased tensions in the north.

"You know my view, and the view of my predecessor of the Obama/Biden administration, on the Good Friday Agreement," he said.

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 President 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 Vice President Kamala Harris.

US Vice President Kamala Harris takes part in a virtual bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in her ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Building, next to the White House in Washington. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty  

The Taoiseach said the President sought an update from him on how things are working two and a half months on from Brexit and the application of the protocol.

The two men also discussed the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic with the President making it clear his decision-making in the months ahead will be based on science, a sharp contrast to the Trump administration.

However, the story of vaccines was raised by reporters, and specifically whether Ireland would get any of the US supply of AstraZeneca vaccines currently holed up in a warehouse pending approval by authorities.

It was never going to be raised in the meeting as the Taoiseach made clear that Biden won’t know for weeks whether he has enough capacity himself to inoculate his own people.

“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,” the Taoiseach said.

When pressed Mr Martin said: “He said he would know where they are certainly towards the summer in terms of sufficiency of vaccines.”

When asked again, the Taoiseach said: “He doesn't necessarily have a stockpile in the sense that he wants to find out will he have, in time, sufficiency of vaccines for his own people. 

"And so my main focus was on what's very important in terms of the manufacturing production of vaccines, that we keep supply chains open because companies I've spoken to are very clear that they work from a global model.”

The issue of the undocumented Irish came up and Mr Martin said both the President and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were “supportive” of the plight of those impacted.

During their talk, the Taoiseach invited both Vice President Harris and President Biden to Ireland, when public health conditions allow.

Mr Martin said he is optimistic that not only will the issue of the E3 visas, which would allow about 10,000 Irish into America, be resolved but that Biden’s wider immigration reform package could be moved. The Taoiseach said this later dimension could be significant in terms of the undocumented Irish, but did stress the matter is “complex” given many nationalities are involved.

Earlier, Mr Martin held separate meetings with Vice President Harris and Ms Pelosi.

Ms Harris said she had been "very excited" to host the annual St Patrick’s Day breakfast. "I only wish that it were in person, but we can hope for next year that we can share a good breakfast together," she told the Taoiseach.

In his remarks to Ms Harris, he extended an invitation to her to visit Ireland during her time as Vice President.
“I hope, Madame Vice President, that I will have the opportunity to welcome you to Ireland too during your time as Vice President. You know the ties between our nations are rich and deep,” he said.

The fountain on the North Lawn of the White House colored green to mark St. Patrick's Day. Picture: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The Taoiseach praised Ms Pelosi for her important support of peace in Ireland.

He spoke of her visit to Ireland and Britain in April 2019, and the clear message it conveyed about her commitment to protecting the peace process and preserving the seamless border in Ireland.

A day high on symbolism and good relations but light on substance.