The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is meeting with US President Donald Trump in the White House today.
Mr Varadkar will use his St Patrick’s Day visit to discuss Brexit and strengthening Irish-American relations.
He is expected to raise the issue of illegal Irish in America, the Irish peace process and plans for an EU-US free trade agreement.
The two leaders will hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, before the annual St Patrick’s Day Celebration reception and shamrock presentation ceremony.
File photo of the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar presenting US President Donald Trump with the bowl of shamrock, 15-03-2018. Image: Niall Carson/PA Archive/PA ImagesPeace process
Mr Varadkar said he will urge President Trump to ensure that any potential free trade agreement between the US and UK does not undermine the Irish peace process.
“We are not asking anyone here in America to take sides between the UK and the EU and Ireland,” he said.
“We know that they will want to negotiate a free trade agreement with the UK into the future.
“We also want to negotiate a free trade agreement between the US and the EU and would like to do that before there is any agreement with the UK.
“But we will be saying to them of course that the Good Friday Agreement has to be paramount. The peace process has to be paramount.”
Pence lunch
The Taoiseach has a packed schedule in Washington with a breakfast with Vice President Mike Pence and lunch on Capitol Hill on the cards as well as his meeting with President Trump.
Mr Varadkar’s partner Matt Barrett will also attend the breakfast with Vice-President Pence – who has been criticised in the past for his views on LGBT rights.
“Yeah he is going to be at the breakfast tomorrow, he was able to get time off work and make the journey so he will be taking up the initiation form Mike and Karen Pence to attend tomorrow,” said Mr Varadkar.
“Karen can’t be there because she is in Abu Dhabi at the Special Olympics.
“But the Pence family will be there. He won’t be part of the shamrock ceremony though.”
Mr Varadkar will meet with senior members of the US Congress during the annual Speaker’s Lunch on Capitol Hill.
With reporting from Shane Beatty in Washington ...
