Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken recently to the Vice President of the United States of America, Mr. Mike Pence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53273/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government engages frequently with the US Administration and US elected representatives, both Republican and Democrat, on all aspects of the Ireland-US relationship and on other issues of mutual concern.

I have had significant engagements in the US this year. In February, I met with then US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson; Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen; Special Representative for International Negotiations to the US President, Jason Greenblatt; in addition to White House senior advisers, and a number of Congressional leaders. In the course of my visit to New York in September for UN High Level week, I also met with US Deputy Secretary of State, John Sullivan.

The St. Patrick’s Day period in Washington, D.C., provides an excellent opportunity for such substantive engagement, and I can confirm that the Taoiseach met with the US Vice President, Mike Pence, in March, along with very many other US elected representatives.

I hope to travel to the United States in early 2019 for a series of political and other engagements. While I have not had contact with Vice President Pence to date, I would very much welcome the opportunity to meet with representatives of the US Administration, including the Vice President at that time, as well as other key Congressional leaders.