Brendan Smith urges US to appoint special invite to Northern Ireland
Brendan Smith urged that during a visit to the United States the need to appoint a special invite to Northern Ireland be raised with President Biden and highlighted concerns about roughly 10,000 undocumented Irish citizens. He said the appointment would strengthen bilateral political, economic, social and trade relations and reinforce US support for long-term stability in Northern Ireland.
Call for US special invite
He argued this is an opportune time for the President of the United States to appoint a 'special invite' to Northern Ireland, noting the value of the role as previously held by eminent figures such as Senator George Mitchell. He said the position would provide an additional conduit for political, economic, social and trade relations between the US, Ireland and Britain.
Undocumented Irish concern
He highlighted the issue of the undocumented Irish as of extreme importance, citing the estimate of probably about 10,000 Irish citizens in the United States and referencing a colleague's earlier remarks on the matter.
Congressional support and precedent
He pointed to sustained interest from members of the US Congress and the Senate on both sides of the aisle, noting that both houses have passed resolutions endorsing the Good Friday Agreement and expressing concerns about the protocol. He said lawmakers have been attentive to the adverse impacts identified since 2016, particularly those arising from Brexit.
Protocol, Brexit and stability
He stressed that the appointment would send a clear message of America's strong relationship and particular interest in ensuring long-term stability in Northern Ireland. He said there is genuine US interest in how the protocol and Brexit are impacting the peace process and confirmed they will take the opportunity to brief the President on these matters.
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Eichuk, I hope that on your visit to the United States that you would be able to raise with President Biden again the need to appoint a special invite to Northern Ireland and obviously the issue of the undocumented Irish as my colleague Deputy Hally referred to is of extreme importance for probably about 10,000 Irish citizens in the United States. I believe that this would be an opportune time for the for the President of the United States to appoint a special invite to Northern Ireland. We know that in the past very eminent persons such as Senator George Mitchell held that role and it was an important one and I think it also adds an additional conduit for bilateral relations on a political, economic, social and trade basis. We are very fortunate that members of Congress and the Senate on both sides of the aisle as they say have constantly taken an interest and passed resolutions in both houses endorsing the Good Friday Agreement and also expressing their concerns of the protocol and as they did for the since 2016 about the impact and the adverse impacts in particular that Brexit would have on these islands. So I think the appointment of a special invite would send that clear message again to Ireland and to Britain of America's strong relationship, its particular interest in ensuring that we have stability in the long term in Northern Ireland and I think at any particular time where you have a direct access to US government is extreme, is important for all of our island. Thank you. The broader issue of stability in Northern Ireland, I think there is a real genuine interest from the United States and from the presidency in terms of the protocol issue and how it is impacting and Brexit and how it is impacting on the peace process and stability in Northern Ireland and we will take the opportunity to brief the President and that also. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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