Bertie flies out to address US Congress
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern tonight left for the United States as he prepares for one of his last and most prestigious official engagements.
Mr Ahern will address a Joint Session of the US Congress in Washington, less than a week before he stands down as Taoiseach of Ireland.
Last year he addressed the British Parliament in Westminster and with the Congress speech he joins an elite group of five international statesmen to be invited to speak at both houses.
He follows in the footsteps of former South African President Nelson Mandela, Ethiopia’s last Emperor Haile Selassie and French leaders Charles de Gaulle and Francois Mitterand.
Mr Ahern was the first Irish leader to address MPs at the Palace of Westminster.
Accepting the invitation to Congress from Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in February, Mr Ahern said he had been deeply honoured.
After his final national address to Fianna Fáil in Dublin last Sunday, Mr Ahern revealed his speech on Capitol Hill would differ from his address to MPs in Westminster.
He added that rather than look at history he would concentrate on the present with issues of mutual concern and the strong economic, cultural and social links between Ireland and the US likely to feature.
After his speech Mr Ahern will meet President George Bush in the White House, the second time the leaders have met this year following St Patrick’s Day talks in March.
As he left Dublin following his final Cabinet meeting officers from the Defence Forces Air Corps gave the outgoing Taoiseach a send-off at Baldonnel Airport.
Mr Ahern follows a long line of Irish statesmen invited to make the Congress address – John Bruton in 1996, Garret FitzGerald in 1984 and Liam Cosgrave in 1976 were also extended the honour.
Presidents Eamon de Valera in 1964 and Sean T O’Ceallaigh in 1959 also addressed the House.
The address will take place at 11am Washington time (4pm Irish Time), and is expected to last one hour.
The formal proceedings at Congress will be followed by a star-studded reception at the Irish ambassador’s residence.
During the three-day trip the Taoiseach will meet Senator Ted Kennedy and travel to Boston to deliver an address at Harvard University and visit the JFK Library.
Mr Ahern will be honoured at a special lunch hosted by Richie Neal, chair of the Congressional Friends of Ireland in Congress, where he will present the group with a sword of Thomas Francis Meagher, a renowned 19th century Irish revolutionary.
Mr Ahern said he saw the sword “as a symbol of the continuing friendship between the people of Ireland and the people of America”.
He returns to Dublin on Friday, just five days before his departure from office.
The Taoiseach’s last official engagement will be next Tuesday, when he visits the Battle of the Boyne site with Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley.
