US President Joe Biden will address a joint sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas in Dublin, Ireland today, Thursday, April 13.
Biden’s address will be live-streamed courtesy of the White House from 3:45 pm Irish time / 10:45 am EDT. It will also be live-streamed on the Oireachtas website and social media feeds.
On Wednesday morning, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told a press gaggle that Biden's address in the Oireachtas will be "about the US-Irish cooperation to advance democracy, peace, security, and prosperity, as well as the deep shared history between the US and Ireland."
NSC Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat further told the press gaggle: "I’m sure he’ll be reflecting on the long, close, and shared history between the United States and Ireland.
"Second, he’ll be discussing the areas in which we partner closely today, including Ukraine. Ireland, for example, is very active in peacekeeping missions around the world.
"Both of our countries have a very vested interest in what’s happening in Northern Ireland. And then also setting out a shared vision for the future."
Sloat later said that Biden "has received an incredibly warm welcome here in Ireland.
"He is very much appreciative of the invitation to address the Houses of Parliament today, is looking forward to touching base with the leaders of Ireland’s main political parties ahead of his address, and is looking forward to what really is a historic opportunity for him to set out his views to the Irish people and to the Irish legislature."
President Biden will become the fourth President of the United States to address the Oireachtas, following President John F. Kennedy on June 28, 1963, President Ronald Reagan on June 4, 1984, and President Bill Clinton on December 1, 1995.
Earlier on Thursday, President Biden met with the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin.
While there, Biden signed the official guest book. He told reporters: "What I wrote in the book was, 'As the Irish saying goes, ‘Your feet will bring you where your heart is.'
"And then I say, 'It’s an honor to return,' and I talk about returning again to the home of my ancestors 'to celebrate the things that bind Ireland and the United States and recommit ourselves to peace, equity,' and I think the most Irish of words used in my family was dignity - 'and dignity.'"
Biden joked: "And I’m not going home. I’m staying here because isn’t this an incredible place? All you American reporters, looks just like the White House, right?"
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