Taoiseach has first phone call with US president-elect

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has had his first phone call with the US president-elect Joe Biden.

Mr Martin congratulated Mr Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris on their victory in the election, Government Buildings said in a statement, in a 20-minute phone call earlier on Tuesday.

The official statement described a "a warm conversation" in which Mr Biden "recalled his strong Irish roots and his visit to Ireland with his family in 2016."

In a tweet, Mr Martin said that he had invited Mr Biden and his wife Jill “to come back to Ireland when we will properly mark their success.

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“He brings tremendous knowledge and understanding to his new role, and has a great love for his Irish heritage,” Mr Martin added.

Government Buildings said that Mr Biden “reaffirmed his full support for the Good Friday Agreement” and said the two men “discussed the importance of a Brexit outcome that respects the GFA and ensures no return of a border on the island of Ireland.”

"They looked forward to working together bilaterally and across a range of international areas including EU-US relations, the UN - including the Security Council, and on the important global challenges of Covid-19, economic recovery and climate change," the statement said.