Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 16, inclusive, together. The questions take up three pages.

My St. Patrick’s Day programme ran from 11 to 17 March, during which time I visited Texas, Oklahoma, Washington DC and New York. I had courtesy calls with Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, and Oklahoma Governor, Mary Fallin, in both cases discussing the deepening of links between the US and their respective states and Ireland. I visited the Choctaw Nation in Durant, Oklahoma, to thank Chief Gary Batton and the Choctaw people for the humanitarian aid raised by their ancestors back in 1847, at the height of the Great Famine, and to announce a joint scholarship scheme to commemorate this historic act and foster future relations. This scheme which allow Choctaw students to study in Ireland.

I took part in South by South West, a technology and music convention in Austin, Texas, to promote Ireland as a location for innovation and inward investment. During my visit I met with many Irish-owned companies doing business in the United States. One important message I sought to convey during my visit was that the economic relationship between Ireland and the US is very much a two-way, bilateral one, with over 100,000 people employed by Irish-owned companies across 50 states in the United States and a broadly balanced trading relationship worth €2 billion per week.

I spoke at a number of events in Washington DC on matters of foreign policy, on the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, on contemporary affairs in Northern Ireland, on Brexit negotiations, and on US-Ireland and US-EU relations. I had a series of political meetings, including with President Trump, Vice President Pence, Speaker Ryan, Senate Majority Leader McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Schumer, and Senator Patrick Leahy, as well as the Friends of Ireland caucus. In all these meetings, I emphasised the importance of the two-way transatlantic relationship between the US and Ireland and between the US and the EU. I suggested that the best way to secure free and fair trade between us was to revisit the question of a comprehensive free trade agreement between the EU and the US.

I also discussed Ireland’s interests in relation to Brexit negotiations and potential solutions for the undocumented Irish living in the US. President Trump indicated that he was favourably disposed towards the possibility of a bilateral agreement on immigration based on a reciprocal arrangement for US and Irish citizens that could help resolve the difficult situation faced by undocumented Irish citizens in the US. This project is being led by Deputy John Deasy. However, it is also important to recall that finding a solution remains a complicated question that requires support both from the Executive and from Congress. We will continue to work at all levels to secure a positive outcome. The President was not yet in a position to announce the appointment of a US ambassador to Ireland, although I understand this issue is now being given high priority, and nor was there any announcement regarding a US special envoy to Northern Ireland. I had a very cordial discussion with Vice President Pence. The Vice President kindly invited me to return next year and I in return extended an invitation to him to visit Ireland.

In New York, I attended a business lunch hosted by Michael Bloomberg. I visited the site of the new Irish Arts Center in Hell's Kitchen to announce an additional $2.5 million of Government funding for that project. I met with the political leadership of the New York City Council including Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Corey Johnson. I also made a presentation to Denis Mulcahy, founder of Project Children, and announced the expansion of the Washington Ireland programme into New York. Finally, I attended the annual St. Patrick’s Day events in New York, including the Mayor’s breakfast, mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the New York St. Patrick’s Day parade.

In conclusion, this was an excellent opportunity to promote Ireland’s priorities with the US Administration and with political, business and community leaders, as well as to further develop the strong political, cultural and economic links between Ireland and the US.

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