Taoiseach 'feeling good' but 'disappointed' to miss Oval Office meeting with Biden

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has tested positive for Covid while in Washington during his visit to America this week END 04/09/2020 Covid-19 Pandemic (Coronavirus), Ireland. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/Rollingnews.ie

The Taoiseach has spoken of his disappointment at missing out on a meeting in the Oval Office with President Joe Biden after testing positive for Covid-19.

Micheál Martin was escorted out of an Ireland Funds dinner in Washington on Wednesday night when his PCR test came back positive, just hours before he was due to go the White House.

The Taoiseach may now have to remain in America for 10 days, meaning he will miss a Covid remembrance ceremony this weekend and a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels next week.

Speaking after a virtual meeting with the President, Mr Martin said: "Of course I'm disappointed personally, but it's not the end of the world and we have to keep things in perspective, I think that's important, particularly in the context of what's happening across the world today."

The Taoiseach said he is feeling good and will continue to work during his period of isolation in Washington.

"In terms of the next while, obviously, I will be here, we had our Cabinet meeting which I chaired from the embassy [in Washington] at the commencement of the week and little did I think that I'd be having another Cabinet meeting from here next week, but that's the way it is.

"I will continue to work and we will manage this, and I will be in daily contact with my colleagues and also with my officials, particularly in respect of the humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis back home."

Mr Martin described the meeting with Mr Biden as a "good warm personal conversation" which went on for longer than officials on both sides had anticipated.

"He's an Irish-American, but our conversation was like two Irish people having a good chat and a good discussion and it was a very serious discussion, particularly on Ukraine and I really appreciated the comprehensive assessment he gave me on that."

He said the main focus of the discussion was Russia's actions, but the issue of undocumented Irish in the US was also raised along with healthcare, the hospice movement, home care for the elderly and the possibility of new types of visas.

Citing a number of scholarships and working holiday visas, Mr Martin said: "I believe we need to expand the range and level of programmes between the US and Ireland, and they would be two-way programmes, legal channels through which people can travel to and from, a different type of migratory flow into the future, which is very much founded and grounded on our economic relationship, but also in terms of the strong academic and cultural relationships that were developed between the two countries."

Mr Martin invited the President to Ireland. While he said Mr Biden "can't wait to get back", no indication was given as to when he might travel to Ireland.