US President Joe Biden will not visit Stormont during his trip to Northern Ireland next week.
He had been invited to Parliament Buildings by the Speaker, where it was hoped he would address the Assembly to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Agreement.
Sources familiar with the visit said the decision was due to logistics.
However, there is speculation the decision was taken for political reasons, as the Northern Assembly and Executive are not functioning because the DUP is continuing to boycott the powersharing institutions over its protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements.
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Speaking to the media in Belfast on Thursday, both Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris rejected any suggestion the pared-back visit was a snub and emphasised it was “positive” Mr Biden was visiting the North.
“I know from my contacts with the White House and the discussions with President Biden he’s very committed to the peace process, to the Good Friday [Belfast] agreement, and he’s particularly focused on the potential for economic development here,” Mr Martin said.
Though he said it was a “pity” the North’s political institutions were not up and running in time for the visit, he said people in other countries were “envious” of the president’s commitment to the island of Ireland and “I think his visit to Northern Ireland is a manifestation of his genuine commitment to the people.”
Mr Heaton-Harris said “I think you should welcome President Biden and thank him for coming, I’m quite sure he’s got other important things on his schedule that he also needs to deal with, and I believe part of his trip is actually to go and see family and relatives in Ireland.
“It is absolutely not a snub. I’m delighted he’s coming to Northern Ireland and I’m absolutely sure he’ll be pleased with the progress he will see Northern Ireland’s made over the last 25 years.”
Mr Biden is due to visit Ireland from April 11th to 14th, but will spend the majority of his time south of the Border.
Mr Biden is expected to arrive in Northern Ireland on the evening of Tuesday 11th and will carry out only one engagement, at Ulster University (UU), on Wednesday before departing for Dublin that afternoon.
An official schedule has not yet been released, but The Irish Times understands the US President will mark the formal opening of UU’s Belfast campus and hold engagements with Northern political leaders as well as representatives from the youth, business and civic communities while at the university.
A visit to Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) had been considered, with the suggestion Mr Biden could have unveiled a bust to Senator George Mitchell – who chaired the talks which led to the signing of the Agreement – but this will not go ahead.
The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, will also travel to Northern Ireland for Mr Biden’s visit.
The US President will arrive in Dublin on Wednesday, and there will be a State dinner in Dublin Castle on Wednesday night. He will pay a formal visit to Áras an Uachtaráin and Farmleigh, where he is due to meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, on Thursday.
Mr Biden is also scheduled to make an address to the Oireachtas on Thursday. He will visit Co Louth and Co Mayo, where he has ancestral roots, during his trip, which will include a public address outside St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina on Friday evening.
The US embassy in Dublin said the Ballina event would be free and open to the public, adding anyone wishing to attend can register online at: ie.usembassy.gov/
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and head of US international development aid agency Samantha Power will accompany the president to Ireland. They are likely to leave on Friday.
Mr Biden is expected to be accompanied by the US special economic envoy to Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, on what will be his first official visit to the North since taking up the role in December.
He is due to remain in Northern Ireland for potentially up to a week after Mr Biden departs and will also visit the northwest.
