Cowen waits for White House invitation

THE TAOISEACH has still not received a formal invitation to the White House for St Patrick’s Day with just a month to go to the national holiday.

Brian Cowen told Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny the Irish Embassy in Washington was in contact with the White House “as is normal at this time of year”.

Mr Kenny referred to the Taoiseach’s plan to visit Washington and New York next month.

“Have you received an official invitation to the White House to meet President Obama?” he asked. “Are the officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs working with their counterparts in the US to make this a reality given its importance in terms of the relationship between Ireland and the United States and the circumstances in which we find ourselves at present?”

The Taoiseach said that “final arrangements have not been agreed”.

Mr Cowen had earlier told the House during Taoiseach’s questions about his travel plans. “It is my intention to visit New York and Washington around St Patrick’s Day, and to attend the New York Gala of the Ireland Funds on the 7th of May.”

Last week Labour leader Eamon Gilmore pressed Mr Cowen about whether a presentation would be made to President Obama and “will it still be in Waterford Crystal”.

The Taoiseach said he hoped to visit Washington and New York “around St Patrick’s Day time and to meet various interests there, similar to what predecessors have done in the past”. There had been “no indication as yet” of any change to previous years, when the taoiseach of the day visited the White House and presented the US president with a Waterford Crystal bowl filled with shamrock.