Why Ireland’s politicians believe they can influence Washington

The ST Patrick Day is linked to its fair share of the tradition, from wearing a branch from Shamrouk, to the presence of the church service to the sensitivity (or several) of the stalls of Stout.

For politicians from Ireland, there are other annual traditions – a visit to Washington, DC.

In every practice of dozens of people, including politicians, businessmen and pressure groups from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, they descend the capital of the United States.

This year, a number of politicians in Northern Ireland refuse to take this trip to Donald Trump’s policies.

But what is the goal of events in the week that extends to St. Patrick’s day, and if that does not happen, does anyone return to the house any team?

Two of the main things that governments in Dublin and Palfast – as well as companies – want to see trips are American investment and strong commercial relations.

Two men went to Washington several times as part of the events of St. Patrick that there is no doubt that flights offer results.

Steve Akkin participated in Washington’s flights as CEO of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce and then as a leader of the Union Party in Ulster.

A member of the Stormont Association said it is impossible to build relations to improve trade and political relations without interviewing face.

“It is all about the ability to speak to people who do not get a chance to talk to them,” he said.

As we learned during Covid, doing business on zooming does not really do business.

“You should be in a room to do this, and if you want to influence, you have to be there to talk with the conversation; you cannot do this from 3500 miles away.”

Akan said that unlike the perception, it was not a “holiday.”

“You must be more than your summary and are able to speak reliably and need to obtain answers to these questions – a lot of questions will be asked and will give you a lot,” he said.

The former politician Shane Vin, Merten Michelior, knows about the benefits of being in the room and the disappointment of her loss.

The Irish Echo publisher attended the White House twice in this role, but he did not travel to Washington during his period as the Finance Minister in Northern Ireland, after the collapse of the executive authority in Stormont two months before the 2017 celebrations.

He said that the mood in the United States in the period before St. Patrick made it the perfect time for politicians and Irish companies to create their stadium.

“You are thinking about the largest companies in the United States, they will have all the promotional offers associated with St. Patrick’s Day,” he said.

“You will go to a city in the United States where there will be ads everywhere.

“This means that they are already doing some work for you.”

He said he believed that there will be a major advertisement for the financial services of Palfast in the coming days.

Regardless of helping to develop a positive relationship between the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United States, it is a little difficult to determine the direct results of the annual visits – after all, there is a lot of relationship more than just St. Patrick’s day.

In the 1990s, in particular, visits were considered an important in the process that eventually led to the signing of the Great Friday Agreement in 1998, which largely ended the three -year -old violence known as problems.

In 1995, the Leader of Shin Vin Jerry Adams attended the White House at the time – A year after President Bill Clinton intervened to give him an American visa A step that the UK government opposes.

Five years later, after two years after the 1998 Belfast Agreement, Adams presented pictures in the White House with President Clinton and then the Uupid Trimble leader – a reflection of how times change.

Aiken and ó Muilleoir say the visits are the key to investment and American jobs in Northern Ireland.

In 2024, 285 American companies in Northern Ireland used 31,915 people – a height of 140 companies and 21,270 employees in 2010.

But Asmund Bernie, senior economists at Ulster University, said it could not be drawn directly.

“It is impossible to determine whether these political visits actually lead to investment or sales, so you cannot prove this in one way or another,” he said.

“In a row, the benefits are likely to be smaller than the basics of training, skills, innovation, productivity, etc.”.

Dr. Bernie said that factors such as Northern Ireland in both the United Kingdom and the unified European market, relatively low employment costs and low -level and unpleasant regulations by European continental standards have made all American companies eager to invest.

There was once when the American Irish was prominent in the highest American policy, with figures such as Senator Teddy Kennedy and House Speaker Natfa O’Neill promoted Irish interests in the Passions of Power.

This was partial as a result of years of high levels of immigration from Ireland to the United States – 1930 American statistics recorded 923,600 people born on Ireland.

By the beginning of the century, which decreased to 169600.

The end of problems also means fewer headlines around Northern Ireland.

Akkin said: “One of the problems that every politician or influential from Ireland – north or south – is to keep people interested in what is going on.”

“With everything else in the world, we are far from the list.”

However, Muilleoir said that Ireland still has a distinguished location in the United States.

“I once met the Swiss Consul in Manhattan and I was subjected to the meaning that we no longer have a major impact in New York,” he said.

“He said he walked from Wall Street to Central Park and every bloc witnessed an Irish flag – but he did not see any Swiss flags.”

Shen Finn Hu Counting events this year On the position of President Donald Trump on Israel-Gaza’s conflict, which means that the Prime Minister in Northern Ireland, Michel O’Neill, is the party leader, the party leader, will not be present.

The Democratic Party and the Socialist Democratic Party also said it would not attend if it was invited, and the coalition party is taking a similar position.

The Deputy Prime Minister Emma Little Bengeille, of the Democratic Unionist Party, said that she will go to Washington, DC, saying it is important to “maintain long and rewarding relations” with the United States.

Melilele said that politicians had to weigh positives and negatives.

“This may be the most difficult time to be in the White House in St. Patrick,” he said.

“We are not the only people with ethical dilemmas. It is for everyone to choose their own choice.”