Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The forthcoming visit of President Biden will be an historic occasion for Ireland. It will be a significant event, celebrating the strong ties between the people of Ireland and the people of the United States. We all know that the President has for a long time been a great friend of Ireland, in fact he wears this on his sleeve, and he does not hide his Irishness and his background.

President Biden has, over many decades, been a very active supporter of the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement. The engagement of successive United States of America Administrations, its Congress, and the Irish diaspora, has been indispensable over the past three decades and will continue to play a part in ensuring that peace and economic progress on the island of Ireland continues, and will underpin the Good Friday Agreement. We are especially conscious of the role President Biden played in the aftermath of Brexit in making it very clear that he would not comprehend any undermining of the Good Friday Agreement.

It is particularly welcome that President Biden will come this year to mark 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which was a transformational moment in the history of this island, and that he will also travel to Northern Ireland. It is an opportunity for Ireland and the United States to reaffirm our joint commitment to protecting and building upon the peace in Northern Ireland. Obviously, it offers us an opportunity to reinforce the strong historic, economic, cultural, and family ties between our two nations, as well as an opportunity to discuss current international issues.

I do not have the details of the President's visit. They are still at the planning stage and I believe it is a matter for the President to outline his itinerary. We know that he has a fondness for certain parts of Ireland because of his family background on both sides-----

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