Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The people, both at home and abroad, were forthright in their comments about both the visit of Queen Elizabeth and President Obama. The two words that came through to me in the many thousands of messages I received were "respect" and "pride" in our Irishness and in ourselves.

The American President recognises very well the challenge that Ireland faces and made comments about the scale of the challenge that his own country faces and was forthright in his public support for Ireland - Deputy Joe Higgins will recall his words to that effect - and that continues. During our conversation, I referred deliberately to the strong connections between Ireland and the United States, to the strong ongoing connections in foreign direct investment here and, indeed, to Irish investment in the United States where, through 40 states, there are 80,000 Americans employed in Irish-owned companies. In that regard, the extent of trade both ways across the Atlantic, both between Ireland and the United States and between Europe and the United States, continues to grow and we want to see that happening.

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