TAOISEACH Micheal Martin has been greeted by JD Vance at the US vice president’s residence to kick off a day of engagements to mark St Patrick’s Day.
Mr Martin and his wife Mary were met by Mr Vance and his wife Usha at the US Naval Observatory ahead of a breakfast meeting.
The Fianna Fail leader was welcomed by the US VP, who said the Irish-American relationship was “One of the great alliances, one of the great friendships of the world.”
Recalling a past trip to Ireland with his wife, VP Vance said he encountered “beautiful landscape” and “technological growth”.
He added that the St Patrick’s Day visit by the Irish leader was an opportunity to “remind people of the important bonds of friendship between US and Ireland”.
And he also joked that the meeting was an opportunity for his wife to wear her green pants, while he displayed his own shamrock socks.
The Taoiseach will later take part in a highly anticipated meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, which is expected to touch on Ireland’s trading relationship with the US.
Mr Trump will be presented with a bowl of shamrock as the centrepiece of the Irish Government’s major overseas diplomatic push in the run-up to St Patrick’s Day on Monday, March 17.
Mr Martin has said that a “two-way street” of investment is something he intends to highlight in his discussions with the president in a bid to address concerns he may voice around a trade imbalance between the two countries.
The meeting comes amid heightened concern that Mr Trump’s protectionist approach to tariffs and tax could pose a significant risk to an Irish economy that is in large part sustained by long-standing investment by US multinationals.
Other matters of concern that may be raised on Wednesday include the legal status of undocumented Irish citizens living in the US, as well as the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Mr Martin will be the first EU leader to meet Mr Trump following the proposals for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine and the lifting of the US suspension of military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv.
The Fianna Fail leader is also to travel to the US Capitol building for the Friends of Ireland luncheon, hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson, before returning to the White House for the traditional shamrock ceremony.
The White House engagements come on the third full day of Mr Martin’s visit to the US, with him having started his overseas trip in Austin, Texas.
Meanwhile, Enoch Burke’s parents have both flown to Washington DC ahead of the Taoiseach’s crunch meeting with President Trump – sparking concern that they might make a surprise appearance.
MUSK INVITE
It comes just days after Trump’s right hand man Elon Musk shared a post on social media that showed the Burke family outside the court in the latest hearing in the teacher’s long running legal saga.
Reporters on their way to Washington DC spotted mum Martina and dad Sean on the flight along with other Burke family members.
The family would not comment when asked by reporters why they were travelling to Washington DC.
It is not known whether the family plan to protest at one of the events that the Taoiseach plans to attend or whether they have been invited to Washington DC.
