Simon Harris to visit White House next month — hinting at a November general election in Ireland
Taoiseach Simon Harris flanked by President Michael D Higgins and Tánaiste Micheál Martin at the UN General Assembly. Mr Harris will visit Washington DC next month to mark the centenary of the USA's recognition of Ireland on October 7, 1924. Picture: Tony Maxwell/PA
Taoiseach Simon Harris will travel to the White House next month to meet US president Joe Biden.
Following their meeting, the Taoiseach and Mr Biden will both speak at an event to mark the centenary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Ireland and the US, which was the first country to recognise Ireland.
A statement from the Taoiseach’s office said “the event will also be an opportunity to reflect on President Biden’s career-long friendship with Ireland”.
This will be the second visit to the White House by an Irish leader this year after then taoiseach Leo Varadkar attended the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations in March.
The October visit by Mr Harris will lend further credence to speculation that a general election will be called for November.
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Next year’s St Patrick’s Day visit will see the incoming US president — Donald Trump or Kamala Harris — greeting the leader of a new Irish government, if one has been formed, as an election must be held in Ireland before March 2025.
The invitation was extended to Mr Harris while he was in New York for UN General Assembly week.
During a media appearance at the UN on Tuesday, Mr Harris said that Mr Biden was doing all he could to bring about a ceasefire in the Middle East.
“At a broad level, I don’t believe the world is doing everything it possibly can to bring about a cessation of violence," he said.
"I do think there’s an onus on all of us — on Ireland, on the European Union, and the United States of America, on every country that says it wants a ceasefire — to say: ‘What more can we do?’
“I know how hard President Biden has worked to try and bring about a ceasefire, Mr Harris said. "I’ve spoken to him on the phone.
"I’ve seen how many times Secretary Blinken has travelled to the region, an extraordinary number of times, to have talks.”
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