Minister of State Carey's Speech at the County Sligo Association, 1st Annual St Patrick’s Day Banquet

It is a great pleasure to be here this evening on the occasion of the County Sligo Association in Boston, 1^st Annual St Patrick’s Day Banquet.

I would like to thank the Association for inviting me to share this occasion with you. In particular, I would like to thank the officers of the Association and their President, Andy Healy.

I would also like to take this opportunities to recognise tonight’s honorees Bill Brett, Harry Brett and Dianne Colleary for the contributions they have made over the years to the Irish Community here in Boston.

We all know of the strong and enduring bonds between Ireland and United States and of the great history of the Irish in Boston. It is a key priority of the Government to maintain and strengthen links with Irish communities abroad. As you may be aware, the Taoiseach Brian Cowen asked the Irish Ambassador in Washington last year to undertake a strategic review of Ireland’s relationship with the United States. The bonds of history and friendship that connect us are important but we must also look to the future and the ways in which the relationship can be nurtured and developed, to ensure that the relationship goes from strength to strength.

While we can be justifiably proud of the achievements of the Irish in Boston and elsewhere, we remain concerned about those Irish citizens who remain undocumented here in the United States. The Government remains firmly committed to helping them regularise their status and open to them a path to permanent residency.

You may have heard of the new US-Ireland working holiday visa that was agreed recently by the Irish and US governments. That programme is just one element in our three pronged approach to the question of Irish immigration here in the US. We will also continue to seek a solution for our undocumented and new bilateral arrangements to provide reciprocal long term working visas.

The substantial and mutually beneficial trading and investment links we enjoy with Massachusetts and across this country have been integral to the history of growth and progress in the Irish economy. The key factors which underpinned the transformation of Ireland’s economy since the mid 1990’s are still in place - a low corporation tax regime, a well educated workforce and a conducive business environment. These remain at the core of our enterprise policy and will serve us well in the future.

Though we are presently focussed on managing our way through the current economic crisis without jeopardising the economic gains we have made in recent years, we have not lost sight of the role and contribution that America has made to the development of the modern Irish economy.

Our many friends in America have been enormously supportive of the peace process and the restoration of power sharing in Northern Ireland. This is an Irish success story, and one of which we are rightly proud. However, in order to realise the enormous potential that exists, much work still needs to be done and this is particularly true of bringing to the communities there the economic benefits of peace and stability.

Aside from the political challenges, Northern Ireland, like the rest of the world, has experienced the difficulties associated with the economic downturn. However, because of the restoration of power-sharing, locally elected and accountable politicians can, and are working to address the specific needs of the people of Northern Ireland. In these times of economic uncertainty, the impetus for cooperation in order to attract investment, improve infrastructure and increase synergies by taking an all-island approach is greater than ever.

We have seen incredible progress in Northern Ireland, with the further consolidation of the Institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and progress towards increasingly normalised politics.

While the attacks by dissident republican paramilitaries last week were truly appalling acts, it is important to remember that those who perpetrated these atrocities are a tiny minority on the fringe of society who do not represent any community in Northern Ireland.

I want to stress that the efforts of a small few who would seek to drag Northern Ireland back to the past will not be allowed to succeed.

The two Governments will work closely together with the political parties in Northern Ireland to ensure the enormous achievements of peace and stability are sustained and embedded.

The support of the US for the peace process to this day and remains vital as we move forward in consolidating the peace which was so hard won.

In conclusion, thank you all of the members of the County Sligo Association in Boston and everyone here tonight for the part you play in maintaining the links with Ireland and your Irish heritage. Since its formation in early 2006, I know the Association has been involved in many activities and events and I would like to wish you continued success in all of your endeavours.