Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the impact President Obama's foreign policy has had here to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46820/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I have engaged with the Obama Administration over the last eleven months across a range of foreign policy issues. The Administration has taken courageous initiatives with a view to facilitating progress on key global challenges such as disarmament, non-proliferation and climate change and towards the resolution of some of the world's most intractable conflicts, such as the Middle East peace process, the Iran nuclear issue and Afghanistan. President Obama has sought through engagement and dialogue to bring fresh perspectives to bear and to unlock potential for movement. In their efforts across a broad agenda, the President and his colleagues have had the full support of the Irish Government. More widely, the Irish people have, I believe, responded very positively to the initiatives which the Obama Administration has been taking.

On 16 March last in Washington, I had the opportunity for an early meeting with the new U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. In a productive exchange of views, we discussed the Middle East, Afghanistan, the global economic downturn, and developments within the European Union. More recently, on 11 October, I was delighted to have the opportunity to welcome Secretary of State Clinton to Dublin. During that meeting, we discussed, among other issues, Afghanistan, Iran, the Middle East peace process, EU-US relations and the situation in Sudan. The Secretary of State reiterated the United States' appreciation of Ireland's resettlement of two Guantanamo detainees. We also discussed the potential for cooperation on other issues such as our joint interest in promoting global food security. I expressed my appreciation at that meeting for the Secretary of State's decision to appoint Declan Kelly as U.S. Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland earlier this year. The appointment clearly demonstrates the commitment of the Obama Administration to Ireland and to ensuring that the achievements of the past decade continue to be supported and consolidated into the future.

I believe that the policies of the Obama Administration in many fields have found a strong resonance in Ireland. Ireland and the US, under this Administration, share many common foreign policy priorities, including in the areas of development, non-proliferation, promotion of human rights and many other current global challenges. I look forward to continuing close engagement with President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and their colleagues over the coming months and years.