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Political Correspondent Christina Finn reporting from Washington DC
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN will meet with US President Joe Biden this evening at the Irish Funds fundraising gala in Washington DC.
The Taoiseach is in the United States this week to attend a number of St Patrick’s Day events.
He is due to meet the US president again tomorrow in the White House and at a traditional ceremony to hand Biden a bowl of shamrock.
Biden is expected to address the reception this evening, where the Taoiseach will receive the International Leadership Award at the event.
Speaking ahead of his meeting with Biden this week, the Taoiseach said he was looking forward to meeting the US president, noting that it will be a “very pleasant” meeting between “one Irishman and another Irishman”.
Ukraine will be the dominant issue of discussion between the two leaders, the Taoiseach said yesterday.
“I think it will be important, the reaffirming and working through the relationship between the European Union and United States and how well that has worked in the context of this crisis,” Martin said.
“The president has been very strong in terms of the need for that multilateral system, in terms of the need for the restoration of the strong alliances.
“To be fair to the American government, they’ve called this right all along, in terms of their intelligence, sharing their intelligence in public, which in my view was impactful enough, and also working with EU countries in terms of sanctions.”
The Taoiseach also confirmed that he will raise the issue of undocumented Irish living in the US, including how Ireland can continue to work existing channels of legal migration with the US, as well as developing “newer mechanisms that facilitate a two way exchange between our two countries that are legal exchanges of people”.
“We also want to discuss the economic relationship between Ireland and the United States, which is a powerful relationship, not just in terms of the American multinationals that are present in Ireland, but also the number of Irish companies that are located in America, creating thousands and thousands of jobs in America,” Martin said.
Collison brothers
Today, Martin is also due to present Science Foundation Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day Science Medal awards at the US Chamber meeting.
Stripe founders John and Patrick Collison, who are originally from Co Tipperary, are due to attend the ceremony. The brothers launched Stripe, a financial infrastructure platform, back in 2011.
Dual-headquartered in Dublin and San Francisco, the company employs just over 7,000 people globally, with just over 500 people based in its Dublin office.
Millions of companies now use Stripe to process hundreds of billions of dollars of payments every year.
After chairing yesterday’s Cabinet meeting from the Irish Embassy in Washington DC, the Taoiseach unveiled a bust of the late John Hume at the ambassador’s residence.
At the unveiling, Martin said: “John’s work is as vital as ever, perhaps, above all, it teaches us the importance of patience and persistence in the search for political agreement.”
He said that the Good Friday Agreement would not have been possible without Hume.
At the event, he also confirmed that he had met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to the US, Oksana Makarova.
“We think very deeply about the plight that your people are under at the moment because of the barbaric and immoral war waged upon your people by the Russian Federation,” he said.
By any measure John Hume was a great Irishman who devoted his life to his community, country, peace and reconciliation.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 15, 2022
That’s why it’s a great honour to unveil this magnificent sculpture, a mark of respect from a grateful country and fitting reminder of his extraordinary work. pic.twitter.com/2ztf4kQZ44
Martin also attended a Tourism Ireland gala event, before attending the opening night of the 25th anniversary show of Riverdance.
The Journal’s Political Correspondent Christina Finn will be bringing you all the latest updates from Micheál Martin’s visit to Washington DC this week, including his meeting with US President Joe Biden on Thursday.
Stay up-to-date by following @christinafinn8, @TJ_Politics and TheJournal.ie’s Facebook page.
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Amazing that you win one match, and you get into the qualifers
@The Firestarter: the would have got in even if they lost against France, tho likely unseeded
@The Firestarter: what are you talking about?
@The Firestarter: kinda hard not to qualify
@The Firestarter: zzzzzzzzzz
@john kenny: zz
Big hard man Damien O’Sullivan giving pelters to women who have achieved more in their lives than he ever will. Damien, you are a troll on the Internet and these woman are representing their country. They stand head and shoulders above people like you. Let that sink in.
@Sun Rise: As ever you are brave behind your keyboard and fake name. The fact you call people trolls while trolling the internet behind tells a lot about the person behind the account.
@Ger Whelan: you are a vicious piece of work. He is defending the womens team show respect boy.
@Sean Money: was it Putin’s fault the girls didn’t win all their games?
@Ger Whelan: you are a sick puppy. Be happy Ireland won.
@Sean Money: Erm they didn’t win . They finished bottom of their group with 1 win out of 5 games. Hardly worth celebrating
@Sun Rise: I reported you just now.
Hopefully the last comment you’ll ever make on this.
I repeat. The current team is useless they were much better under Vera. Constructive criticism, not some misogynistic agenda you’re pushing.
Suck on that.
@Sun Rise: God help the team if they have likes of you ‘looking out’ for them.
You’ll be hearing from the Journal soon. Bye bye a*****e.
Good draw
They’re useless
@Damien O’Sullivan: i hope your talking about FFG,,,
@Damien O’Sullivan: Damien give that phone back to your mother until you mature a bit like a good little boy.
@James Leahy: Just criticising the current team. They were better under Vera.
Why don’t you run off and troll elsewhere fool. You have no idea what you’re talking about
@james rowan: Yeah them too
Nobody is interested in women’s soccer, it’s just not very good
@Auld Lad: 16 000 in Pairc Ui Caoimh.
@Auld Lad: another Immature small boy pretending to be an Auld lad.
@James Leahy: oh look, here’s the white Knight on his steed, getting offended on behalf of women everywhere
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: been to bigger raves
@Auld Lad: yeah we can tell…oh the irony
@Auld Lad: doubt you’ve left your mother’s basement in the past ten years.
No stopping them now after they beat France so easily
have your say