Foreign Pool Reports of March 17, 2021

Foreign Pool Report #1 - Background on the Virtual Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister of Ireland

Good morning and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I am Marek Walkuski from Polish Radio. It's my pleasure to be your foreign pooler for the virtual bilateral meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister of Ireland Micheál Martin [Mee-hawl Martin].

President Biden is back at the White House from Wilmington, where he attended a morning mass in honor of St. Patrick's Day. At 1:00 p.m. at the Oval Office a traditional Shamrock Bowl will be presented to him by the Taoiseach [Tee-shock], who will speak from the Government Buildings in Dublin. The ceremony will be followed by a virtual bilateral meeting between the two leaders. This will be the third President Biden's bilateral engagement with a foreign leader. He earlier met virtually with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Mexican President Lopez Obrador.

Prime Minister Martin began his virtual visit to the United States on Monday. He took part in a series of policy discussions and roundtable talks hosted by thinks-tanks, business groups and Irish-American organizations. Today, before meeting President Biden, the Taoiseach takes part in a virtual meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris. This event is covered by the VP supplemental pool.

At 12:30 p.m. the Irish Prime Minister will join the annual Friends of Ireland Celebration hosted by Speaker Pelosi. President Biden, who was among the founding members of the caucus 40 years ago, is expected to give pre-taped remarks. Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year's event will take place virtually. It will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRpd6Nb3h6I

Who is Micheál Martin

59-year old Micheál Martin is a career politician and the leader of Fianna Fáil party. He has previously served in a number of cabinet positions, and was Ireland's foreign minister from 2008 to 2011. Martin was elected as the prime minister in June 2020 following the formation of a historic coalition with Fine Gael and the Green Party. Under the terms of the coalition deal, he will hold the job until December 2022. The leader of the Fine Gael would then take over and serve the remainder of the five-year term.

Micheál Martin was among first European leaders to speak with president-elect Biden after November elections. The Irish Prime Minister declared that Joe Biden's victory has been a source of great pride for the people of Ireland. "He is one of us, part of our global family"- said Martin after Biden's inauguration. On another occasion he called the 46th President a "true friend of Ireland".

Since a correct pronunciation of the Irish Prime Minister's Gaelic first name Micheál and his title Taoiseach has sometimes been a challenge, I asked Irish Ambassador to the United States Daniel Mulhall for a short lesson. You can watch it here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0uxvuajcsse9qyr/Tutorial.mov?dl=0

Joe Biden's Irish connection
Many in Ireland consider Joe Biden as one of their own. Irish media highlight the fact that ten of Biden's sixteen great-great-grandparents were born in Ireland. The Irish Family History Centre traced back his roots to the Blewitts from County Mayo and the Finnegans from County Louth. When in 2016 Joe Biden as Vice President visited Irish town Ballina, where his distant relatives still live, thousands of people lined the streets to give him a warm welcome. He called his visit to Ballina "a homecoming". Ireland's Ambassador to the United States Daniel Mulhall points to the fact that Irish heritage has always been part of Joe Biden's identity. "You have to go back to President Kennedy to match president Biden's Irish heritage" – he told me.

The 46th President embraces his Irish roots. Last November, when asked by a British reporter if he has a comment for the BBC, he answered: "The BBC? I'm Irish". Then he smiled and walked away. In an interview for the Irish America magazine, he noted that his grandmother used to say: "Remember, Joey Biden, the best drop of blood in you is Irish". Before visiting Ireland in 2016 Biden stated that while Northeast Pennsylvania will be written on his heart, Ireland will be written on his soul. The 46th President also said that for him being Irish means that "you never bend, never break and that resilience is critically important". As Ambassador Mulhall noted, Joe Biden is also known for quoting Irish poets, although not because he is Irish, but because they are the best.

On the agenda:

Announcing Prime Minister Martin's virtual meeting with President Biden the White House said that both leaders will reaffirm the deep, historic partnership and extraordinary people-to-people ties between the United States and Ireland. "They will also discuss combatting COVID-19, addressing global challenges, increasing our shared prosperity, and supporting political and economic stability in Northern Ireland" – the statement said. In a separate statement, the government of Ireland added that the meeting "will also be an opportunity for the Taoiseach to thank President Biden for the US's ongoing support for the Good Friday Agreement".

Northern Ireland Protocol
The Taoiseach's virtual visit to the White House takes place amid growing tensions between the EU and the UK regarding the implementation of post-Brexit arrangements included in the Northern Ireland Protocol. To preserve the Good Friday agreement the protocol aims at eliminating the need for a "hard border" between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by implementing customs checks on some goods arriving in Northern Ireland from the mainland UK. London delayed introduction of new border checks until October, arguing that it needs extra time to adapt to new rules. The European Union reacted by launching a legal action against the United Kingdom. Speaking at the Brookings Institution virtual event on Monday, Micheál Martin warned that the UK's unilateral action "corrodes trust, and increases uncertainty and instability".

Covid-19
According to the Irish Health Executive Service about 615 thousand vaccine doses have been administered in Ireland, including 130 thousand from AstraZeneca. Less than 10% of Irish population have received at least one dose, little over 4% are fully vaccinated. Following media reports that the United States is sitting on tens of millions unused doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, the Taoiseach was pressured to ask President Biden to share vaccine supply with Ireland. On Sunday however, Ireland temporarily suspended the use of AstraZeneca. The Taoiseach confirmed that he will talk with President Biden about Covid-19 vaccines, but he didn't specify what exactly will be discussed. The White House said that the first priority for the U.S. government is ensuring that the American people are vaccinated. But earlier this month President Biden promised that after first giving vaccines to Americans, the US will share the surplus with the world. Yesterday he said that Washington in talks with several countries about sharing extra doses. per Reuters.

Political and economic relations
After Brexit Ireland remains the only English speaking country within the European Union and maintains close cultural ties with the United States. Many see this as an opportunity to further strengthen economic and political relations between Washington and Dublin. Irish government is pleased with President Biden's willingness to ease tensions with the European Union and strengthen transatlantic alliance.

In January Ireland joined the U.N. Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term. This opens the door to closer cooperation between both countries on global issues, including Iran and Syria. Dublin also expects closer trade and economic ties. According to the U.S. Department of State there are approximately 700 U.S. firms operating in Ireland that employ about 155,000. At the same time more than 500 Irish companies operate in the United States, having invested more than $225 billion and employing some 110,000 workers.

Foreign pool report #2 - background on the Shamrock Bowl Presentation

As we wait for the bilateral meeting between President Joe Biden and the Prime Minister Micheál Martin at 1:00 p.m. EST, I would like to share with you some background information on the annual Shamrock Bowl Presentation to the President of the United States.

The beginning of St. Patrick's Day shamrock presentation at the White House dates back to 1952 when the Irish ambassador to Washington John Hearne sent a small box of shamrock to President Truman. Over the years a low-key ceremony, usually involving ambassadors, grew in significance and became the platform for cementing a US-Irish relationship and emphasizing American involvement in Irish affairs, especially during The Troubles. President Bill Clinton, for whom the peace talks became a foreign-policy priority, expanded St. Patrick's Day celebrations to include joint visit to the Capitol for the annual "Friends of Ireland" congressional caucus luncheon and a reception at the White House for the Irish - American community. Since 1993 all successive Irish Taoiseach's have made annual trips to Washington around St. Patrick's Day. "It means a lot to us because every year a full day on the political calendar in Washington is devoted to Irish events" –Ambassador of Ireland to the United States Daniel Mulhall told me.

Today, the Taoiseach will be speaking from his government office in Dublin, but the crystal bowl of shamrock will be physically present in the Oval Office. The plant was delivered to the White House last Friday by the Embassy of Ireland. According to Ambassador Mulhall, the shamrock that will be presented today to POTUS has been grown for twenty plus years on the same farm in Ballinskelligs in the County Kerry, on the very far West of Ireland. „They always say over there that this is the closest parish to America" – said ambassador. Prior to today's ceremony Prime Minister Micheál Martin stated that he will present President Biden with the traditional Shamrock Bowl "to extend St Patrick's Day greetings from the people of Ireland to the people of the United States".

If you are at the White House right now, you can stop by the foreign pooler's desk to pick up a small gift from the Irish Embassy – a ready to wear living shamrock. I still have some left.

Foreign pool report #3 - Bilateral meeting attendees - Irish side

The pool is gathering at the James Brady Press Briefing Room ahead of the bilateral meeting between President Bidena and the Taoiseach at 1:00 pm at the Oval Office.

According to the Irish Embassy, the following officials will join Prime Minister Micheál Martin:

From Washington:

Ambassador of Ireland to the United States Daniel Mulhall

From Dublin:

• Martin Fraser, Secretary General to the Government
• John Callinan, Second Secretary General
• Deirdre Gillane, Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser

Foreign pool report #4 - Oval Office remarks

The pool was in the Oval Office for about 15 minutes. There were two separate TV screens in the room – one for the Irish Prime Minister, second for other participants, including US Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Ireland's Ambassador to the United States Daniel Mulhall. Chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin Alexandra McKnight joined after about five minutes.

As expected, President Biden spoke at length about his Irish heritage, his ancestors and his trip to Ireland in 2016. POTUS expressed confidence that next year they will meet at the White House in person.

Pointing at the Shamrock Bowl that was placed on a side table next to President Biden, the Taoiseach called it "a symbol of the undying friendship between our two countries, a symbol of the good times we have shared, and the challenges we have endured. Always at each other's side, the green shoots, point to the brighter future".

"Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!" – he added in Gaelic, which means "Happy St. Patricks's Day!", per our Irish colleague Brian O'Donovan of RTE. Thank you Brian for the translation.

Some quotes from the Irish Prime Minister's remarks:

On Covid:

"The policies of our two governments are very closely aligned on the big challenges the world faces, and I look forward to exploring how we can defeat the COVID-19 virus, working together, urgently to increase the supply of vaccine for our own people and for people around the world".

On the Northern Ireland Protocol:

"I especially want to thank you for your unwavering support for the Good Friday Agreement. It has meant a lot and it has mattered, including, as we negotiated Brexit. With a new trading relationship now in place between the European Union and the United Kingdom, and a protocol that protects peace and avoid a hard border on this island, I want to move forward with a positive relationship with the United Kingdom. That means standing by what has been agreed, and working together to make a success of it, and that in turn then can help maintain peace and promote greater reconciliation on our shared Island".

As usual, check the quotes against the official transcript.