SENATOR Hillary Clinton received a warm Irish welcome at the Irish American Presidential Forum in New York last Wednesday, where she pledged her commitment to working with Ireland on various issues if elected president.Clinton, who was the first of three presidential candidates expected to address the forum this year, spoke to an audience of 100 Irish Americans at the offices of radio show host Adrian Flannelly and attorney John Dearie. She said that matters pertaining to Ireland and the north of Ireland will be high priority on her agenda if she wins the White House.Clinton spoke about the possibility of establishing "Irish bonds" similar to Israel bonds in an ongoing effort to strengthening economic ties between both countries.Clinton said that many Irish Americans want to continue supporting the people of Ireland "As devolution takes place...funding from Westminster declines so there will be a real opening, and this could be a place where the Irish American community would be particularly important," she said."I would love to explore with you how best we could do that because I believe it would provide a steady revenue stream that would support the kind of investments that will in turn support the legitimacy, credibility and success of the government."Regarding the topic of immigration, Clinton remains committed to a "path to legalization" as part of a comprehensive immigration reform package. "There are an estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States," Clinton said, promising as part of her presidency she would continue to work with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform and other groups to achieve such reform.Clinton addressed the "Six-Point Irish American Agenda" laid out by the Irish American Presidential Forum Committee, chaired by former state assemblyman Dearie, comprehensively and inclusively.Dearie, who welcomed Clinton upon her arrival, recalled the address made her by husband, Bill Clinton, to the forum in 1992. "(Clinton) really made a catalytic statement when he appointed a U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland and paved the way for Gerry Adams to come to this country," said Dearie.Clinton promised, if elected, she would continue with the appointment of a special envoy to Northern Ireland. She went one step further by stating that the envoy would report directly to her."It's important to have a special envoy who will report directly to me," she said. "Having an envoy will signal my personal commitment, that it's not something farmed out to the appropriate desk officer in the State Department but instead someone who reports directly to the president." She joked, "Those who wish to apply, please do so."Flannelly also welcomed the Senator, making mention that without the Clintons there would be no Good Friday Agreement or "there would not be peace in Northern Ireland today."Clinton, who flew in from the campaign trail in Pennsylvania, spoke about her own visits to Ireland and the North, mentioning in particular the women whom she met and how each and every one of them touched her heart. "Each of these women worried night and day when their husbands and sons left," she recalled. "I learned and I listened and I did what I could."Clinton answered the question, "Would you commit yourself, as president, to visiting Ireland and Northern Ireland during your first term in office?" with a witty, "What a hardship." Clinton, who has visited Ireland six times, said she needed no excuse to go back there again. "As president I will travel to Ireland and Northern Ireland to honor the strong and deep relationship between our peoples. We have shared values, common aspirations, a bond that it unbreakable and presidential visits are a special part of reinforcing that bond."Clinton, speaking of the peace process said, "We are clearly on the right path but we can't become complacent." She revisited a meeting she had in Washington last December with the North's First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness. She said the idea of sitting at the same table with the pair would have been " a fantasy" a few years ago, but that both men are now working side by side to implement "boring but important work of government" encourages her.Clinton also promised to personally work with leaders of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain to execute the Good Friday agreement. Clinton said she fully supports devolution of power and she believes the "transfer of policing and justice powers is a major priority that should be completed as swiftly as possible."On the economy, she pledged, if elected president, her commitment to a continued partnership between the Irish and American markets. "I will help the Northern Ireland government and business leaders explore new opportunities to attract international investment and to nurture a growing all island economy," she said, adding that she will also encourage companies based in Ireland to invest in the U. S.Responding to the question if she would convene a White House conference on Irish/American issues within the first two years of her administration, she said, "I will." Clinton promised to bring major stakeholders together to discuss "how we can strengthen and improve the economic partnership between the U.S. and Ireland."On a lighter note, Clinton said if elected president she would bring back the St. Patrick's Day parties at the White House.At close of events, Dearie thanked Clinton for addressing the issues "in a specific way," and joked that although he didn't want to get into "domestic issues," he thought Senator Clinton addressed the issues "spectacularly" compared to then Governor Bill Clinton, who only did "very good" in 1992. The statement was met with loud applause.