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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 11, inclusive, together.

It was a pleasure to welcome President Biden to Ireland last week for what was a successful visit, underlining the warmth and closeness of our bilateral relations, our common approach on many global issues, and above all, the enduring commitment of the United States to furthering peace and prosperity on this island. During the President’s visit, as well as welcoming him to Dublin and Ballina, I hosted an official dinner for him and his delegation at Dublin Castle. I also had a bilateral meeting with him in Farmleigh House last Thursday. At our meeting, which built on the excellent engagement I had with him in Washington on St. Patrick's Day, we discussed developments in Northern Ireland, the war in Ukraine and other geopolitical issues. More broadly, we were strongly agreed on the need for the world’s democracies to work closely together in support of our shared values.

On Northern Ireland, we took stock of the situation in light of agreement on the Windsor Framework. We were of the shared view that it is in the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland to see restoration of the Good Friday Agreement institutions as soon as possible. This would not only deal with the day-to-day concerns that people have on issues such as health and housing, but also help to deliver on the economic potential of Northern Ireland’s unique position, with access both to the UK's internal market and the EU's Single Market. There can be no benefit, and there is considerable risk, in allowing matters to continue to drift as they are.

We also discussed the strong trade and investment relations between Ireland and the US and the benefits they bring to both countries.

On Ukraine, we were agreed that President Putin cannot be allowed to prevail in his invasion and that we will continue to back Ukraine in its defence of its sovereignty, democracy and European path for as long as it takes. Mr. Biden also paid tribute to Ireland’s engagement on global food security, and we agreed that this is an area where we should do more together. I referred to the excellent work under way in this regard and recalled with President Biden that I had met the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, administrator, Samantha Power, in Washington last month.

Last month, I visited Washington for a programme of engagements around St. Patrick's Day. I had a series of political engagements with President Biden, Vice President Harris, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus. The 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement was noted in all of these engagements and I reiterated the deep gratitude of Ireland for the steadfast friendship of the US throughout the peace process. My meetings were also an opportunity to celebrate the strength and vibrancy of relations between Ireland and the US. In my meeting with President Biden at the Oval Office, we discussed our increasingly two-way economic relationship. We also discussed the prospects for US immigration reform and the need to increase opportunities for young people to move between our countries with greater ease.

While in Washington, I had several other engagements, including: attending the Ireland Funds dinner; addressing a Washington Ireland Program event; meeting the African American Irish Diaspora Network and students at Howard University; and an event at Georgetown University to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, where I met Secretary Clinton one-to-one. I also met the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, Joe Kennedy, at several events. I had an economic programme that included meetings with US companies invested in Ireland and Irish companies growing their footprint in the US, a presentation of the Science Foundation Ireland annual medals and a speech to the US Chamber of Commerce. I attended showcase cultural event organised by the Irish Embassy in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in honour of the unique contribution of the US to peace in Ireland.

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