Irish President Michael D. Higgins (R) and U.S. President Joe Biden shake hands as Biden leaves Aras an Uachtarain (Residence of the President of Ireland) in Phoenix Park in Dublin on Thursday. Pool Photo by Julien Behal/EPA-EFE
April 13 (UPI) — U.S. President Joe Biden Thursday addressed Ireland’s Parliament, the Houses of the Oireachtas, becoming the fourth American leader to do so.
Biden’s trip coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of violence, referred to colloquially as “the Troubles.”
In 1998, Ireland went on to become an independent state, while Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom.
The president also thanked Ireland for its involvement in the Ukraine war, touching on bilateral trade, green energy, and the deep ties between the two countries.
“Today, I’d like to reflect on the enduring strength of the connections between Ireland and the United States, a partnership for the ages,” Biden said in his speech to the Irish Parliament, also attended by Northern Ireland leaders.
Former Irish Republican Gerry Adams, who helped craft the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 was among these in Dublin to watch Biden speak.
The official anniversary took place Monday.
Biden paid homage to his family heritage, mentioning his Irish Catholic roots and the decades of Irish immigration to the United States.
“We’re nations that know what it means to persevere for freedom, to brave a civil war, to toil in the vineyards of democracy,” Biden said Thursday.
“Sixty years ago, as referenced, the first Irish Catholic President of the United States made a historic trip here, speaking to this assembly and capturing the imaginations of Irish and Irish American families alike,” he added, referencing former president John F. Kennedy, before praising Ireland’s continuing support of Ukraine as it repels Russia’s invasion.
“Ireland has committed more than 170 million euros in non-lethal aid to Ukraine, including — including vital protective gear, medical equipment, humanitarian support, and aid to minimize the impacts of war on food insecurity and child malnutrition.
“And as a member of the European Union, Ireland is working together with the United States and other partners to hold Russia accountable for its actions, including through significant sanctions and export control.”
He also thanked Ireland for taking in 80,000 Ukrainian refugees so far.
“And I want to sincerely thank you for Ireland’s vital leadership last year in the U.S. — in the U.N. Security Council.Working together, Ireland and the United States helped change the way the U.N. sanctions are implemented to ensure they do not hamper humanitarian efforts,” the president said.
Biden marked a daylong schedule of events in Dublin by visiting the official home of Irish President Michael Higgins and sharing a message in the official guest book.
The president took part in a tree planting and ringing of the Peace Bell during his visit with Higgins.
“As the Irish saying goes, your feet will bring you where your heart is,” Biden said of his guest book message. “I said it’s an honor to return, then I talked about returning again to the home of my ancestors to celebrate the things that bind us and the United States and recommit ourselves to peace, equity and I think one of the most Irish of words used in my family was dignity.”
It marks a day full of activities for Biden in Ireland.
Biden and Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar exchanged support for one another Thursday afternoon, ahead of the speech in front of parliament.
“Ireland is moving in the way that is taking its place in the world, that is working on helping countries around the world that are dealing with starvation,” Biden said. “And the way you’ve welcomed — and I know it’s not easy — welcomed Ukrainians here, and the leadership you’ve shown.
“And I just think that it feels so good to be able to have this emerging and stronger and stronger relationship between the United States and Ireland,” Biden said. “I think our values are the same, and I think our concerns are the same.”
Varadkar praised Biden for his leadership in the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is now well into its second year.
“I never thought in my lifetime that we’d see a war of this nature happen in Europe again,” Varadkar said. “And democracy and liberty and the things that we believe in are in retreat in large parts of the world. And if it wasn’t for American leadership and if it wasn’t for America and Europe working together, I don’t know what kind of world we’d live in.
“So we really do appreciate your leadership and your personal leadership, both in terms of securing peace in Ireland, but also in trying to protect democracy and liberty here in Europe.”
On Wednesday, Biden marked the anniversary by telling the people of Northern Ireland that ensuring the peace deal and the Windsor Framework remain in place are the top priorities of his visit.
Biden also met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and held an informal gathering with Northern Ireland politicians as he called for the Stormont Assembly to reconvene.
The Democratic Unionist Party has boycotted the legislative body for 14 months, arguing the Anglo-EU Windsor Framework agreed to in February does not adequately address their concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements.