Full texts of speeches by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the President George W Bush.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
Mr President, First Lady, I am delighted and honoured to be with you here again today, at this very special time for Irish people and friends of Ireland everywhere.
Saint Patrick's Day traditionally provides an occasion to celebrate Ireland and what it means to be Irish. As a symbol, Saint Patrick unites all the different traditions in Ireland through his message of reconciliation. His humble beginnings as an unwelcome stranger in Ireland serve to remind us of the history of the millions of Irish people who were compelled to leave Ireland and seek a better life elsewhere.
Nowhere was a welcome more firmly and generously extended to them than in the United States.
Mr President, with this simple ceremony, we honour the strong and binding ties of friendship and kinship which exist between Ireland and the United States.
We particularly appreciate at this time the unstinting support which the US has consistently offered for the efforts to achieve peace in Ireland. I am honoured, Mr President, to have this opportunity to express our thanks for your continuing wise counsel and encouragement, and the tremendous support of Ambassador Richard Haass, who has become our trusted friend.
It is now almost five years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed and since then, and despite the challenges, we have witnessed great progress in Northern Ireland. Much credit is due to the parties, many of whom are represented here today, and to the many individuals and community groups throughout Northern Ireland who continue to work so hard for peace.
As you know, Mr President, in recent months Prime Minister Blair and I have been seeking, with the pro-agreement parties, to resolve outstanding issues which will allow us to achieve the full and effective implementation of the agreement. I believe we have made substantial progress. The two governments recently outlined proposals to the parties which, we sincerely believe, provide the road map for the way forward. Big steps are being called for.
Prime Minister Blair and I will be returning to Northern Ireland next month to formally present and publish our joint proposals. Our aim is that when the people of Northern Ireland go to the polls at the end of May, they will see a fully operational agreement, an end to instability and a clear prospect of sustainable institutions.
It is a great source of encouragement, Mr President, to know that the generous support and good offices of our friends in the United States are always available to us. The real and measurable progress which the agreement has brought to date would simply not have been possible without the active support and goodwill of so many people on this side of the Atlantic.
Mr President, as we forge a path to peace and stability in Northern Ireland, we are deeply mindful of the dangers and insecurity in our wider world. The attacks of 11 September 2001 demonstrated to all of us that fanatical and ruthless terrorists are prepared to strike at the very heart of our common civilisation. Our peoples want to live in peace, but we cannot wish away the very real threats that hang over us.
The world acknowledges the United States, with its immense power and its status as a beacon of justice and liberty, as a leader within the United Nations. You demonstrated that leadership last September, Mr President, when you went to the United Nations and called upon the Security Council to face up to its responsibilities regarding Iraq. Ireland, then a member of the council, worked with you for the unanimous adoption of Resolution 1441, which gave Iraq a final opportunity to surrender its weapons of mass destruction.
Our goal is the goal of the United Nations: the disarmament of the Iraqi regime, by peaceful means if at all possible. For the United Nations to be effective; for the United Nations to be respected, it must be united in purpose as well as in name. The brutal regime in Iraq poses precisely the kind of threat to international peace and security that the United Nations was created to deal with.
Ireland no longer sits on the Security Council. Even at this late hour, we look to the present members of the council to work together to ensure that resolutions of the council are fully implemented. The members of the council have Ireland's full support as they seek to carry out their heavy responsibility.
Mr President, the shamrock is a symbol of unity, an emblem which can be worn with pride by people of all Irish traditions and by all who are happy to call themselves friends of Ireland. I am, therefore, very pleased to present this gift of shamrock to you this morning, as a token of our friendship and esteem.
Thank you.
US President George Bush
Taoiseach, thank you very much. Laura and I welcome you and Ms Larkin here to the White House. I want to thank you for this fine gift to the people of the United States. I'm honoured to accept it as a symbol of the strong and faithful friendship between our two nations.
Ireland has given many gifts to America throughout our history. This very house was designed by an Irish immigrant, based on your own Leinster House in Dublin, and has since been occupied by more than a dozen Presidents of Irish descent. One of them, President John Kennedy, said on a visit to Ireland, "When my greatgrandfather left here to become a cooper in East Boston, he carried nothing with him except two things: a strong religious faith and a strong desire for liberty."
The Kennedys were among millions of immigrants who came to America with that same faith and the same love of freedom. As much as any other immigrant group, Irish-Americans have shaped this country for the better. They have fought in our wars, like the five Sullivan brothers, who died together on one day, on one ship, in World War Two. They helped settle our territories, like David Crockett. They helped build our cities, and to this day still embody the spirit of public service.
When the roll call - when the roll was called of the policemen and firemen and emergency workers who died on September the 11th, it included many names like Donnelly and Duffy and Kelly and Sullivan. Tens of millions of Americans trace their lineage to Ireland, and so many came here in times of grief for a country they left behind.
Today, we are glad to see a strong and free and rising Ireland with so much to offer its people and the entire world. The ties of family and values are adding ties of diplomacy and trade, with commerce between our nations quadrupling in just the last seven years.
September the 11th has reinforced these bonds of friendship. Ireland is a valued member of the international coalition against terrorism. Ireland has allowed American military planes to use its airports and has helped to rebuild Afghanistan. We appreciate your help in a just and vital cause.
America stands with you in another cause: bringing security and stability to the people of Northern Ireland. We've seen great progress since we gathered here a year ago. Many challenges lie ahead, but I am so optimistic that by working together we can meet these challenges and help create a lasting peace.
This morning, we remember a good man who spread a gospel of peace. The greatest of Irish names, Saint Patrick, was brought to Ireland a slave and died there a saint. His courage and kindness helped to shape a great and noble culture. Americans are proud of our Irish influence, and we're grateful to our Irish friends.
God bless.