Most governments would give “their right arm” for the opportunity to visit the White House and meet with the president of the United States on St Patrick’s Day, according to the Taoiseach.
Speaking on The Neil Prendeville Show on Cork’s Red FM, Micheál Martin said the celebration would be marked “in some shape” but reiterated that no “firm” decision had yet been made regarding a visit to Washington.
It was not “fair” or “true” that one rule on travel existed for the public while another existed for the Government, Mr Martin said.
“I haven’t been travelling at all, but look, I happen to be Taoiseach of the country and anything I do in a travel context is for the country, not for me,” he said.
“This isn’t just about next March. I’m determined that Ireland will forge a very good relationship with president Biden.”
Mr Martin said that social media campaigns protesting against him making a visit to the US amid the Covid-19 pandemic had “developed out of nowhere,” as he had not indicated an intention to travel to Washington.
Right arm
“We’ve made no decision on that and when I was asked once on this I said that both... the US government and our government would engage in terms of how we would mark St Patrick’s Day this March,” Mr Martin said.
“Obviously it’s a very close relationship between the US and Ireland, it’s a very important one – economically, socially and culturally.
“Over 114,000 jobs [are] directly employed by US companies in Ireland and Irish companies employ about 90,000 in America, so it’s a very important relationship.
“Most governments would give their right arm to help protect those opportunities that we normally and ordinary have on Patrick’s Day.
“But because of Covid-19, that creates a context, so there’ll be engagement over the next number of weeks but no firm decision has been made one way or the other.”
Mr Martin said US president Joe Biden had a “genuine affection for Ireland”.
“When I spoke to the president after his election... I invited him to Ireland and he simply said to me to ‘try and keep me out’.”
It comes as an independent councillor in Kerry garnered thousands of positive responses to his suggestion that cervical cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan should represent Ireland at the White House with the bowl of shamrock this St Patrick’s Day, rather than Mr Martin.
