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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| St Patrick's Day: NI party leaders to attend White House reception | St Patrick's Day: NI party leaders to attend White House reception |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The White House reception is the highlight of a week of events for St Patrick's Day in Washington DC | The White House reception is the highlight of a week of events for St Patrick's Day in Washington DC |
| Stormont's five main party leaders are due to attend the annual St Patrick's Day reception in the White House. | Stormont's five main party leaders are due to attend the annual St Patrick's Day reception in the White House. |
| They are expected to meet US President Joe Biden after attending the House Speaker's lunch on Capitol Hill. | They are expected to meet US President Joe Biden after attending the House Speaker's lunch on Capitol Hill. |
| Senior business figures from Northern Ireland have also been invited to attend the White House reception. | Senior business figures from Northern Ireland have also been invited to attend the White House reception. |
| Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar will perform the traditional handing over of a bowl of shamrock to the president in the Oval Office. | Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar will perform the traditional handing over of a bowl of shamrock to the president in the Oval Office. |
| Mr Varadkar and Northern Ireland's political leaders have been in Washington DC for much of this week for a series of events ahead of St Patrick's Day. | Mr Varadkar and Northern Ireland's political leaders have been in Washington DC for much of this week for a series of events ahead of St Patrick's Day. |
| On Thursday night the taoiseach apologised for an "ill-judged" remark that was seen as a reference to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, made during a speech in the city. | On Thursday night the taoiseach apologised for an "ill-judged" remark that was seen as a reference to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, made during a speech in the city. |
| Monica Lewinsky was a young White House intern when she and the then-US President Bill Clinton embarked on an affair in the 1990s. | Monica Lewinsky was a young White House intern when she and the then-US President Bill Clinton embarked on an affair in the 1990s. |
| Leo Varadkar regrets the "intern" remark he made during his speech, says his spokesman | |
| The taoiseach was making an address to the Washington Ireland Programme, which helps young people develop career skills. | The taoiseach was making an address to the Washington Ireland Programme, which helps young people develop career skills. |
| He took part in the programme in 2000 and in his speech on Thursday he made reference to possible concern about being an intern at the time in the White House. | He took part in the programme in 2000 and in his speech on Thursday he made reference to possible concern about being an intern at the time in the White House. |
| After the event a spokesperson for Mr Varadkar said "the taoiseach was reminiscing about his time in Washington DC as an intern 23 years ago. | After the event a spokesperson for Mr Varadkar said "the taoiseach was reminiscing about his time in Washington DC as an intern 23 years ago. |
| "He made an ill-judged off the cuff remark which he regrets," said the spokesman. | |
| "He apologises for any offence caused to anyone concerned." | "He apologises for any offence caused to anyone concerned." |
| Trade deal back on the table? | Trade deal back on the table? |
| Mr Biden is due to make a visit to Northern Ireland next month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. | Mr Biden is due to make a visit to Northern Ireland next month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. |
| Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has she hoped that devolved government at Stormont would be up and running again by then. | Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has she hoped that devolved government at Stormont would be up and running again by then. |
| She was speaking after receiving an honorary doctorate from Ulster University at a ceremony in Washington. | She was speaking after receiving an honorary doctorate from Ulster University at a ceremony in Washington. |
| The big story from the White House is already out there. | The big story from the White House is already out there. |
| Joe Biden let slip his plan to visit Ireland north and south earlier this week. | Joe Biden let slip his plan to visit Ireland north and south earlier this week. |
| On St Patrick's Day he is likely to confirm it again, only this time in the presence of Leo Varadkar. | On St Patrick's Day he is likely to confirm it again, only this time in the presence of Leo Varadkar. |
| We may also get the date of the planned trip next month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. | We may also get the date of the planned trip next month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. |
| The White House is still hopeful that the Stormont institutions will be fully restored by the time Mr Biden arrives in Belfast. | The White House is still hopeful that the Stormont institutions will be fully restored by the time Mr Biden arrives in Belfast. |
| He had hoped to address MLAs in a special sitting of the assembly but that may still go ahead regardless. | He had hoped to address MLAs in a special sitting of the assembly but that may still go ahead regardless. |
| But expect the president to drive home the need to restore power-sharing when he meets the party leaders at the White House. | But expect the president to drive home the need to restore power-sharing when he meets the party leaders at the White House. |
| Last year Ms Pelosi warned the UK government against undermining the Good Friday Agreement through its actions against the post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. | Last year Ms Pelosi warned the UK government against undermining the Good Friday Agreement through its actions against the post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. |
| She had warned that if that happened there would be no US-UK trade deal. | She had warned that if that happened there would be no US-UK trade deal. |
| There is music and celebration during the traditional St Patrick's Day in the White House | There is music and celebration during the traditional St Patrick's Day in the White House |
| But last month a deal was struck between the UK and the EU on trading arrangements for Northern Ireland. | But last month a deal was struck between the UK and the EU on trading arrangements for Northern Ireland. |
| Ms Pelosi said she "fully supports" that agreement - known as the Windsor Framework - and that it opened up the possibility of a trade deal between the US and the UK. | Ms Pelosi said she "fully supports" that agreement - known as the Windsor Framework - and that it opened up the possibility of a trade deal between the US and the UK. |
| The DUP has been boycotting power-sharing at Stormont over its opposition to the trade arrangements that resulted from the original Brexit deal. | The DUP has been boycotting power-sharing at Stormont over its opposition to the trade arrangements that resulted from the original Brexit deal. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Leo Varadkar | Leo Varadkar |
| Nancy Pelosi | Nancy Pelosi |
| Joe Biden | Joe Biden |