John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree that the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement is an ideal opportunity for the President to visit Ireland. We are aware of the influence that Irish America had 25 years ago in the entire peace process and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The President is very proud of his Irish heritage, as the Minister has outlined. He wears it on his sleeve and it is great to see a President with such strong Irish roots. He has essentially made the White House an open door for Irish politicians to go and let all issues Irish be heard.

The visit should also be seized as an opportunity to influence the bad decision by the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, to stay out of the Assembly. I am aware that an invitation has been extended to the President to address the Assembly. It is difficult when it is not sitting. What influence can the Tánaiste and the Government bring to bear on the President to try to influence the DUP to end its boycott of the Assembly and the Executive in the North?

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