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Ahern due to address US Congress | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Bertie Ahern is due to address a joint session of the US Congress in Washington, days before he steps down as Irish prime minister. | |
The invitation was issued to the Fianna Fáil leader in recognition of his work for the Northern Ireland peace process. | |
He joins an elite group of five international statesmen who have been invited to speak to both houses. | |
Mr Ahern will also meet US President George Bush. Earlier, the taoiseach's hotel was evacuated in a fire alert. | |
Mr Ahern was woken by the US Secret Service at about 0920 BST following a suspected blaze in a generator. | Mr Ahern was woken by the US Secret Service at about 0920 BST following a suspected blaze in a generator. |
The Irish prime minister and his officials later returned to the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel after the fire was extinguished. | |
Mr Ahern said that during the alert, everybody walked down the stairs in an orderly fashion without any panic. | |
He said there had been a strong smell of smoke in the roof of the hotel just above him. The whole party is believed to have been shaken by the experience. | |
'Deeply honoured' | |
Mr Ahern is due to resign as taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil on Tuesday 6 May. | Mr Ahern is due to resign as taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil on Tuesday 6 May. |
He was the first Irish leader to address MPs at the Palace ofWestminster. | |
Accepting the invitation to Congress from Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives Nancy Pelosi in February, Mr Ahern said he had been deeplyhonoured. | |
Other Irish statesmen also invited to make the Congressaddress included John Bruton in 1996, Garret FitzGerald in 1984 and Liam Cosgrave in1976. | |
Presidents Eamon de Valera in 1964 and Sean T O'Ceallaigh in 1959 alsoaddressed the House. | |
The formal proceedings at Congress on Wednesday will be followed by a star-studded receptionat the Irish ambassador's residence. |