Marian Harkin hails ‘warm and personal’ Biden visit

Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin was delighted to meet President Joe Biden during his visit to the Dail. The Independent Deputy described the Presidential visit as a warm, personal occasion.

“I was honoured to represent the Independent Group in welcoming the President to Dail Eireann when he addressed the joint session of the Dáil and Seanad. I was introduced to the President by the Ceann Comhairle who explained I had been a member of the European Parliament and elected to the Dáil on two occasions. The President said, “So you have been around the houses,” “You and me both, Mr President,” I replied," recalled Deputy Harkin.

Deputy Harkin and the President spoke about Senator Tom Harkin, a relative of the TD who is a long-serving Democratic Senator from the State of Iowa and a good friend of the President. He was Deputy Harkin’s guest in the Dail a few months ago.

“The occasion of the President’s visit was extraordinary,” Deputy Harkin said, “his address was personal and warm, and was totally reciprocated by a packed chamber of TDs and Senators, former members, Taoisigh, former President McAleese with ambassadors and dignitaries from various countries."

“His first words as he looked up to the heavens and said, ‘Mom you were right,’ these set the tone for his address. It wasn't about policy issues other than at the highest overarching level. He talked about shared values and the dignity of every single person along with the importance of equality and diversity in decent societies."

Deputy Harkin described the President’s presence in Ireland to support the Good Friday Agreement and strengthen democracy as a reminder that peace and democracy cannot be taken for granted.

“After 25 years of peace in Northern Ireland we know that peace is not a static thing, it is something that has to be worked out and worked on every day and every week in communities throughout the island.  Similarly, democracy is not something we can take for granted because there are many agents and many groups, here and across the world, whose purpose is to undermine the democratic order and that is something we have to be vigilant about and protect fiercely,” she said.

Overall, she described the speech and the occasion as really uplifting.

"The President used one word to describe Ireland and that was the word 'possibility'. It gives us a real sense that so much is possible. Flying into Ireland West Airport, visiting Knock Shrine and Co Mayo was a fitting end to a wonderful trip and was a great occasion for the people of the entire Northwest," Deputy Harkin concluded.