Taoiseach yet to receive St Patrick's Day invitation from Donald Trump
Simon Harris has said he would expect the annual tradition to proceed, however there has yet to be confirmation from the White House
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has revealed that the Taoiseach has yet to receive an invitation from the White House for this year's St Patrick's Day event in Washington DC.
When asked if there has been any indication that the invitation will arrive on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne on Friday, Simon Harris said that he "expects it will" and the work is ongoing at an official level. However, when pressed by Claire Byrne, the Tánaiste ultimately said it is "a matter for the White House to issue invitations."
He went on to say that the annual tradition was maintained by President Trump when he last held office in the US and he "expects that will be the case again." He continued to say that Ireland's strong bilateral relations with the US remains, regardless of who's in the White House.
However, Ireland's condemnation of the Trump administration's latest sanctions on the International Criminal Court and threats of tariffs for a number of countries may muddy the waters in terms of this year's St Patrick's Day visit for Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
As diplomatic tensions rise between the US and the international community, particularly in regards to Trump's earlier comments this week on 'taking over' Gaza, there has been some calls from the opposition for the Taoiseach to boycott the visit if an invitation does arrive.
The annual St Patrick's Day visit is a long established tradition between the two countries which allows bilateral discussions, including trade opportunities. When, or if, the invitation comes, the Taoiseach is very likely to accept despite the calls for a boycott.