President Bush Welcomes Prime Minister Ahern for St. Patrick's Day
Remarks by the President and Prime Minister Ahern of Ireland on St. Patrick's Day
The Roosevelt Room
10:25 A.M. EST
THE TAOISEACH: Mr. President and First Lady, on behalf of the
government and the people of Ireland, I'd like to extend our best
wishes to you, and to all of the distinguished guests gathered here for
St. Patrick's Day. I'm delighted to be here with you on the 17th of
March, the actual day when millions of people of Irish descent across
the globe unite to honor their native land and their common heritage.
Today we are reminded in a special way of the close and abiding
friendship that has existed between our two nations for so many
centuries. The United States has been a stalwart supporter of Ireland
in good times and in bad. And during the darkest days of our history,
America provided the promise of a new future for the millions of Irish
compelled to leave their native homes because of famine and of
poverty.
In building a better future for themselves in this country, Irish
immigrants and their children were given the opportunity to make a
meaningful contribution to their new communities, and to become vital
and valued members of American society.
The United States, Mr. President, has been unfailing in its
encouragements to our efforts to find a lasting and peaceful settlement
in Northern Ireland. We thank you, Mr. President, for your continued
and strong commitment to the implementation of the Good Friday
agreements. We appreciate the support and encouragement that we have
consistently received in your administration, from our friends on both
sides of the aisle in Congress, and from so many ordinary Americans,
who wish to see us succeed.
When I signed the Good Friday Agreement some six years ago, I
believed that we had the potential to transform relationships on the
island of Ireland. Today, based on the progress that we have seen at
firsthand, I'm more convinced than ever of this. The priority now is
to overcome the remaining challenges and finish the job once and for
all. Prime Minister Blair and I are, therefore, redoubling our efforts
to resolve those issues that remain outstanding so that the promise and
the potential of the agreement can be fully realized. We've invested
enormous efforts in building our peace process, and we intend to
protect and preserve it together.
Mr. President, the United States has been a key partner in the
significant economic development that Ireland has enjoyed in recent
years. America is Ireland's biggest foreign investor, and we share a
common approach to the values of enterprise, and we work well with each
other. Because of this partnership, Ireland's future looks brighter
and more prosperous than ever. The opportunities that Irish immigrants
once sought abroad are now to be found in Ireland. And for the first
time in over 150 years, the number of those emigrating from our country
has slowed to little more than a trickle.
Mr. President, Ireland is proud to hold the presidency of the
European Union at this time. I look forward to welcoming you to
Ireland for the EU-U.S. Summit at the end of June. And during our
presidency, we will see 10 new countries, eight of them from Eastern
Europe, join the union on May 1st. Like Ireland, many of these
accession states already have historic ties with the United States and
have large immigrant communities living here. The enlargement of the
European Union will serve to strengthen the strong ties that already
exist between Europe and the United States.
Mr. President, Europe and the United States share a common
determination to overcome the evils of terrorism. Last week, we
witnessed the willful destruction of human life in Madrid. Many were
reminded of the horrors 9/11. Terrorism is an affront to our
democracies. It strikes at the heart of all the values of which the
United States and the European Union are founded. And we're determined
to ensure that our peoples are protected from this despicable scourge.
As we celebrate here today, our thoughts and our prayers are also with
the people of Spain.
Mr. President, St. Patrick used the symbol of the shamrock to
explain a basic principle of Christianity to the people of Ireland.
More recently, we have come to regard it as a symbol of unity,
conveying a powerful image of how people of diverse traditions and
backgrounds can come together in the pursuit of a common cause. It's
an emblem that Irish people, indeed, friends of Ireland wear with great
pride on this special day.
I present this gift of shamrock to you, Mr. President, this morning
as a token of our friendship and an acknowledgment of the special bond
that exists between our two countries.
Thank you.
(The bowl of shamrock is offered.) (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Well, Taoiseach, thank you very much. Thanks for
the lovely gift of shamrocks. It is a beautiful symbol of a beautiful
land. Laura and I welcome you back to the White House. We're honored
to have you join us to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
This day is always a happy one for Americans. In some places,
Americans get a little too happy. (Laughter.) Today, we reaffirm the
bonds of friendship between our countries. We remember a courageous
man who preached a gospel of peace. We celebrate a heritage that is
claimed by millions of my countrymen. There's an Irish saying that
there is luck in sharing. For more than two centuries, your country
and mine have shared responsibilities. We've shared aspirations, and
we have shared values.
From my nation's earliest days, Americans of Irish descent have
helped to establish and define America's most cherished principles.
They've helped to defend the liberty of their adopted homeland. Today,
the people of the United States and the people of Ireland continue to
share so much. Our economies are more closely linked than ever.
Together, we are fighting terrorism, a danger that has brought
destruction and grief to Americans and Irish alike, and to the world.
I join the Taoiseach in sending condolences to the people of Spain
as they remembered their murdered countrymen. I thank you for your
strong support in our common struggle.
Our nations are also standing for peace and justice in places like
the Balkans and Afghanistan and beyond. We share a common vision for
Northern Ireland. We seek a lasting peace for the people of Northern
Ireland, a peace that will allow people to live free of terror and
intimidation.
We seek a region that is stable and prosperous and tolerant and
locally governed. I commend Prime Minister Ahern and Prime Minister
Blair and all of those who are working so hard to implement the Good
Friday Agreement. I call for a permanent end to all political
violence. There's no place for paramilitaries in a democratic
society. The partnership of America and Ireland is close, it is
lasting, and it is important to the peace of the world.
I look forward to this summer to visiting Ireland for the EU and
U.S. Summit, to strengthen the essential partnership between the
United States and Europe. Taoiseach, may the friendship between your
people and mine prove as strong in the years to come as it has in the
centuries past.
May all the people of our nations have a happy St. Patrick's Day.
We ask God's blessings on the people of Ireland. And may God continue
to bless the United States. Welcome. (Applause.)