US Special Envoy

Office Of The First Minister And Deputy First Minister – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:45 pm on 2 March 2009.

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Photo of George Robinson George Robinson DUP 2:45, 2 March 2009

3. asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister if the Executive have been consulted about the appointment of a US special envoy.         (AQO 2168/09)

Photo of Peter Robinson Peter Robinson DUP

The Executive have not been consulted about the appointment of a special envoy. The Obama Administration has made clear that it recognises the importance of appointing someone to take over the role that Ambassador Paula Dobriansky filled until the inauguration of the new President on 20 January this year.

I record my sincere thanks and appreciation to Dr Dobriansky for the commitment that she made to Northern Ireland during the two years in which she was President Bush’s special envoy here. Despite having a wide-ranging and challenging portfolio, which included climate change, human trafficking and human rights, she still devoted a significant amount of her time to supporting political and economic development in Northern Ireland. I want to record our particular thanks for her support for the investment conference in May of last year, when she led a presidential delegation of senior American executives to Northern Ireland.

Returning to the question about the appointment of a special envoy for Northern Ireland, I would emphasise that such a decision falls entirely within the discretion of the President in consultation with the US Secretary of State. The decision on who is appointed is, therefore, entirely a matter for the American Government.

Photo of George Robinson George Robinson DUP

Are there any plans for the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to meet the President? How does the First Minister believe that the positive relationship with the US can be built upon? I realise that I might be jumping the gun with those questions.

Photo of Peter Robinson Peter Robinson DUP

I hope that all the guns are decommissioned and that there are none to jump. [Laughter.] The deputy First Minister and I intend to travel to the United States soon. We will be involved in a serious tour in which we will meet representatives of companies that are engaged in Northern Ireland, talk to some that, we hope, will become engaged in Northern Ireland, and we will have a number of meetings with political leaders. We hope to be on the east coast of America during the St Patrick’s Day period. We have been invited to the White House, and we would hope, God willing, that we will be able to meet the President during that period.

Photo of John O'Dowd John O'Dowd Sinn Féin

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. With the election of Barack Obama, the new President of the United States, it is hoped that there will be a new approach by the United States to international affairs — although I have to say that its approach to Ireland has been positive. Would the Minister welcome the appointment of a US envoy to the North, and does he have any thoughts on who that envoy should be?

Photo of Peter Robinson Peter Robinson DUP

The Member has raised the second part of the question from my colleague George Robinson, which I had not answered. We have a very positive relationship with the United States, and the number of United States companies that have come to Northern Ireland and are prepared to look at Northern Ireland as a base for future business is much more significant than almost any other part of the world outside these islands. I believe, therefore, that we all recognise that there is a significant and special relationship with the United States.

Many people from different sections of our community have emigrated to the United States, so we have deep roots in that country. I am not in the business of picking either football teams or envoys — if I were to suggest someone, it might be the surest way of ensuring that they would never get the job.

Photo of Samuel Gardiner Samuel Gardiner UUP

Has OFMDFM raised with the Department of State and the new US Administration the likely impact that President Obama’s keep the jobs at home strategy will have on inward investment from the US to Northern Ireland?

Photo of Peter Robinson Peter Robinson DUP

On a previous visit, the deputy First Minister and I spoke about the issue of protect­ionism, and we were encouraged by what we heard. I am pretty sure that the direction that the new President will take in relation to encouraging investment in Northern Ireland will be just as strong and committed as that of his predecessors.

Photo of William Hay William Hay Speaker

Question No 4 has been withdrawn.