The Tánaiste Goes to Washington

Simon Coveney, the Tánaiste (Ireland’s deputy prime minister) was in New York in February to support Ireland’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, the election for which will take place next year and in Washington, D.C. There he joined many of his E.U. counterparts and representatives of over 70 countries in attending a ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, of which Ireland is a member. The Tánaiste took the opportunity to meet with U.S. Secretary Pompeo during the ministerial meeting, as well as many other meetings with Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress to discuss priority issues, in particular Northern Ireland, Brexit, immigration, Ireland’s economic relationship and foreign policy issues, including the Middle East.
The Tánaiste addressed the Congressional Friends of Ireland at a large event on Capitol Hill on February 6 to mark the centenary of the First Dáil and launch the Global Ireland Initiative. This strategy will see Ireland doubling its impact in both the U.S. and Canada, through investment and engagement – deepening, broadening and securing these hugely important relationships at every level for the future. ♦