US president Joe Biden paid tribute to Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly describing them as politicians who are capable of rising above long-standing historical disagreements to advance the Belfast Agreement.
During his address to the annual Speaker’s Lunch at the US Capitol to mark St Patrick’s Day, Mr Biden asked both leaders to stand and for the room to acknowledge their contributions.
“Thank you for reminding us what the possibilities are for working across the aisle and rising above long standing disagreements,” Mr Biden said.
There was sustained applause for Ms O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly from those in attendance in the historic Rayburn room. The audience was comprised of senior US politicians from the Irish caucus in Congress; as well as politicians from the Republic, Northern Ireland and Britain. The US administration’s special envoy to Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy, was also in attendance.
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The lunch was hosted by Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was the guest of honour. The Taoiseach’s delegation included John Callinan, the secretary general of Government; Mr Varadkar’s chief of staff Brian Murphy; as well as the Irish Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason.
In his address Mr Biden said he was deeply grateful for Ireland’s unwavering humanitarian aid to people of not only Ukraine, but also to Gaza.
“I’m committed to continuing to do our part. The vast majority of members of Congress are willing to do their part and I continue to urge every member in this room to stand up to fight for their corner,” Mr Biden said.
He said that humanitarian assistance to Gaza was “badly, badly needed”.
Mr Biden also singled out the threat posed by Russian president Vladimir Putin. “I urge every member in this room to stand up to Vladimir Putin because he is a thug,” he said.
Mr Biden told the room that the world was now at an inflection point. He said that not only US history but the wider world would depend on decisions which were made today and would have impacts for three, four, and five decades.
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“I believe history is watching,” he said.
Turning to Ireland, he said there were no barriers too thick or too strong to prevent Irish and US co-operation. “There is nothing our nations cannot do together,” Mr Biden said.
Mr Varakdar, in his remarks, also praised the restoration of institutions in Northern Ireland as hugely significant.
He said that Ms O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly were “two women from different political traditions, who were showing what could be achieved working together”.
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