New York senator and former First Lady, Ms Hillary Clinton, today hailed Ireland as an example to the world in how to improve standards of life and declared: "The ties between us are only getting stronger."
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Former First Lady and
currently New York senator , Ms Hillary Clinton |
On the first day of a visit to Dublin the former First Lady thanked the people of Ireland for their support and the day of mourning which followed the September 11th terrorist attacks.
And, after a meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, she told of her hopes to build stronger relations between the two countries to create "new opportunities for both of our peoples".
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Clinton said Ireland had shown a "well thought-out balanced approach" to the development of the Irish economy in recent years.
She praised this as a "real example" for the rest of the world and "particularly in New York".
She added: "It is a great honour on behalf of New York to thank you here in Dublin for the extraordinary support that Ireland gave to New York and America following September 11th.
"I do not know of any other nation that had a national day of remembrance and that demonstrated to all of us the deep ties between our countries and particularly between New York and Ireland.
"The ties between us are only getting stronger.
"I know that there will be many more opportunities for the kind of relationships that we already are blessed with, to deepen and provide more opportunities for New York and Ireland."
A planned earlier visit by Mrs Clinton was postponed after the terrorist attacks, but Mr Ahern thanked Mrs Clinton for keeping the engagement "so soon after the tragic events".
Later, Ms Clinton will meet a delegation from the business community before giving a keynote speech to an audience of more than 1,000 people at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce gala dinner in the Burlington Hotel.
A spokesman for the chamber said Ms Clinton was travelling to Dublin with a team of around 20 businessmen and women, including members of the Atlantic Corridor organisation which promotes trade between Ireland and America.
PA