Peter Burke, TD

In his first international engagement as Taoiseach, Enda Kenny will travel to Brussels this afternoon for a meeting with Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

I congratulate you, Mr Speaker, on your recent election, and on the personal journey which led you to this distinguished Office.

We gather here beside the Naval Observatory, reminding us of the great naval tradition of this country and the voyages undertaken from here, as well as the explorations across the Atlantic which led to the discovery of America.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has met with United States President Barack Obama at the White House for the Bilateral Oval Office meeting as part of the Taoiseach’s visit to the United States for St Patrick’s Day.

We are very grateful for your firm friendship and your wise counsel.You are helping to the change the relationship between Ireland and America, as have so many great Irish Americans in our history.

It is has never been more important that we build on these links and look ahead to the future. Ireland is a small, open, globalised economy.

The Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny TD, is focusing on Ireland’s business, trade and cultural links with the United States on his first day of his St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington.

The Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny TD, has arrived in Washington DC for the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations at the White House.

As Taoiseach, I will be open and truthful with the Irish people as we tackle these challenges over the next few years. Because I have great faith in the Irish people – their ingenuity, their passion, their sense of decency, their resilience in the face of difficulty, their pride in their country.

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