Susan O’Keeffe: We must work to turn Biden’s love of Ireland into tangible benefit

With the new US president one of the last Irish-American political heavyweights, we must ensure that our relationship with the US is ready for the future, not stuck in the past

Susan O'Keeffe

21st January, 2021

Kamala Harris bumps fists with US President Joe Biden after she was sworn in as the 49th US Vice President yesterday. Picture: Jonathan Ernst/Getty

Turning President Joe Biden’s smiling Irish eyes into hard-nosed real-life benefits is one of the challenges facing the Irish government in the next four years. It was hardly front and centre on anyone’s mind during yesterday’s ceremony and who could blame them? Everyone wanted to lean into the schmaltz of #InaugurationDay, the music, the poetry – even the sunshine.

There was a palpable need for some feelgood feel-true politics,...

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