Taoiseach Brian Cowen has arrived in Washington ahead of his meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House tomorrow.
Mr Cowen will make the keynote address at the annual dinner of the American Ireland Fund tonight. His speech is expected to focus on recent progress in the Northern Ireland peace process following the Hillsborough Agreement.
During his visit to Washington, Mr Cowen will also attend a business event hosted by Enterprise Ireland for Irish companies operating in the United States and meet members of the Global Irish Network, formed after last year’s Global Economic Forum in Farmleigh.
He will be accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin tomorrow for his St Patrick’s celebrations with Mr Obama.
Mr Martin will meet US secretary of state Hillary Clinton today during a series of political and economic engagements in the run-up to St Patrick’s Day.
The Minister will discuss political developments in the north and current economic issues during the talks in Washington DC.
“I look forward to discussing areas for greater co-operation between our two countries so that we can continue to strengthen this key relationship,” Mr Martin said last night.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met senior political and business figures in Chicago yesterday at the start of their US visit for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Today they travel to Washington DC where they will meet President Obama and other key figures.