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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR will seek to get an update from President Donald Trump on the situation facing the undocumented Irish in America while on his St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington.
Varadkar will commence his US St Patrick’s Day trip in Washington DC today.
Speaking ahead of the trip, he said he will use his meetings with President Trump and other senior US politicians “to emphasise the strength and importance of Irish-US bilateral relations, particularly our economic ties”.
He added: “I intend to discuss issues including EU-UK relations, Northern Ireland and the US role in protecting the Good Friday Agreement.”
A bill which could give Irish citizens access to thousands of US visas every year was passed by the US House of Representatives on Monday.
The plan to add to the E-3 visa programme will now be voted on by the US Senate.
Varadkar said: “There was positive news this week in relation to the legislation to expand the E3 Visa programme, and I look forward to getting an update on how we can resolve the situation facing the undocumented Irish in America.
“This is a relationship that cannot be taken for granted and I intend to use my visit to Washington DC to deepen these ties, while also promoting EU-US relations.”
Varadkar will attend the traditional Irish Funds Gala and the House Speaker’s luncheon on Capitol Hill.
President Trump will not be attending the lunch, which is being hosted by the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Trump has blamed his non-attendance at the lunch on Ms Pelosi, pointing to the impeachment inquiry launched by the Democrat-led House last year.
Later on Thursday afternoon, Varadkar will join Trump and his wife Melania for the traditional Shamrock Ceremony at the White House, and will attend the Ambassador’s St Patrick’s Day Reception that evening.
On Thursday morning, he will be hosted for breakfast by Vice President Mike Pence.
Last year, Varadkar, who is gay, was praised for speaking about being judged by his political actions and not his sexual orientation when he spoke at the event with Pence.
Pence has been criticised for his views on LGBT rights.
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill have cancelled their St Patrick’s Day trip to Washington over Covid-19.
Foster said on Tuesday they had decided “not to travel to Washington for the St Patrick’s Day receptions”.
She said: “Whilst it is an enormous opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland in DC, our priority is dealing with the spread of coronavirus.”
Foster and O’Neill will attend a Cobra meeting in London today to discuss the response of UK authorities to Covid-19.
As last night, there are 16 cases in Northern Ireland and a total of 34 cases in the Republic of Ireland.
On Tuesday, President Trump said Americans should remain calm in the face of fear about the spread of coronavirus in the US.
He said: “It will go away, just stay calm.”
TheJournal.ie’s Political Correspondent Christina Finn will be bringing you all the latest updates from Leo Varadkar’s visit to Washington DC this week, including his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Thursday.
Stay up-to-date by following @christinafinn8, @TJ_Politics and TheJournal.ie’s Facebook page.
Need to start education and exposure to breast feeding to a time before women have a child. Eg visits by breastfeeding mothers and babies to secondary schools. Has to be normalised for everyone. Give women and girls the confidence they can do it. Then adequate supports. 59 breastfeeding consultants in the HSE is inadequate I’d say.
@Emma Smith: as in, progressive indoctrination? Seems a tad archaic. The information is there, and so are the supports. If a new mother wanted to breastfeed, she would. Firstly, fewer women are having babies now due to the sheer expense of them. Secondly, fewer women are breastfeeding due to it being impractical in a world where women have to work full-time jobs now because one income in a household isn’t enough. Let women have the choice as to whether they want to breastfeed or not. Let them be the ones to decide if it works for them.
@Donna-Marie Kovačić: They are less likely to have the choice, or to find that it works for them, if they don’t have proper support.
@Donna-Marie Kovačić: Breast feeding impractical? Always the right temperature, always sterile, always available, and the perfect balance if nutrients. Breast feeding mothers should be allowed and encouraged to take their baby into work with them.
@Donna-Marie Kovačić: What has a lower birth rate got to do with the percentages of women that are breast feeding their newborn? If you don’t have a baby in a given year you’re not included in the stat
There’s not enough support and not enough education around breastfeeding. If a mother has any issues breastfeeding the solution offered by everyone around including health professionals is just to give a bottle. While a mother still might want to breastfeed and just need someone to help her looking into why it’s not working out. The only reason why a woman absolutely cannot make breastfeeding work is if they don’t have milk ducts which is a very rare condition. Of course any mother can choose not to breastfeed, but if they want to there should be support and education offered. Education is a big thing as well, some people literally can’t comprehend that a breastfed baby can feed a lot more than every 2-3h and it’s normal
From experience, I think the main problem is that it’s all touted as being so natural etc without telling expectant parents (both of them need to know & understand) about the potential issues that can arise. Some of them are easily solved but some need a bit more help. However I think they’re so scared of people not doing it that they’re not giving the full story.
Additionally not all the midwives are lactation trained. Every single one missed my son’s tongue tie despite me asking them to check as there’s a family history (& it’s one of the biggest issues with breastfeeding). It was only when I paid for a private lactation consultant that she spotted it straight away.
The whole breast vs bottle argument too is very out of date as there’s never a mention of combination feeding where it’s either expressed breast milk in a bottle or formula. This can be a great option for some but it’s never mentioned. You have to pick a side.
We where given very good advice don’t worry about the feeding just check the nappy afterwards using this you can work out if not feeding enough or to much and also looking for the signs of hunger it not just crying it lips and hands.
I also think in this country and others as well the female body is to sexualised and this makes women feel uncomfortable un doing their top in public, which is shameful.
We need more advertising showing breast feeding and more women to fight and be open about it.
I live overseas where you couldn’t turn with out see babies been breastfed and no one even blinked.
If breast feeding is best, then this cant be done from work, or elsewhere – the state could “…endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”
This is what would help the most.
Expressing milk and freezing it makes it so easy to fill a bottle if required.
Way to round out the weekend Valerie ✌️✌️
Pyre of wheelchairs to follow?
We won’t hit our target so let’s change the target?
No need to worry if the government keep up they’re fabulous housing policies there’ll be no affordable way for young couples to start families let alone even worry about breastfeeding although it may be useful to people entering the country the ones already here can sod off if they want a life go to Australia or US only thing is you need 5000 in you’re account entering and have to work opposite here though
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