TÁNAISTE AND MINISTER for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is travelling to the United States today to attend a number of events in New York and Washington DC. 

In New York, Coveney will take part in engagements in support of Ireland’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The election for this will take place next year. 

In Washington, he is due to join a number of EU counterparts and representatives from over 70 countries in attending a ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat Isis, of which Ireland is a member. 

The Tánaiste will meet with US Secretary Mike Pompeo during the meeting. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that engaging with Pompeo, meeting with the Congressional Friends of Ireland, as well as many other meetings with Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress, will offer valuable opportunities for Coveney to discuss priority issues. 

These issues include Northern Ireland, Brexit, immigration, Ireland’s economic relationship and foreign policy issues, including the Middle East, the Department said. 

Coveney will also address a large event on Capitol Hill tomorrow with Congressional Friends of Ireland to mark the centenary of the First Dáil at the commencement of the 116th US Congress. 

As part of that event, the Tánaiste will launch the government’s new strategy for the US and Canada for the period to 2025, under the Global Ireland Initiative. 

“I and my government colleagues are determined to protect, invest in and develop Ireland’s relationship with the US and with Canada for the future. We want these relationships to thrive for the benefit of all our citizens,” Coveney said. 

What’s envisaged in this strategy is nothing less than a step-change in our engagement, and an engagement commensurate with the importance of the relationships, taking account of the new geopolitical realities and demographic change. 

“An unprecedented level of investment in our presence and capacity across the US and Canada will enable us to build new partnerships, at every level, and in every region,” he said.”